How Greater Hartford residents can file their taxes fast and free

Hartford, CT, February 6, 2019 – Tax time may be a hassle, but free expert help is available to many at 15 convenient Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in the Greater Hartford region.

From now until April 15, Greater Hartford residents with 2018 incomes up to $55,000, persons with disabilities and limited English speaking taxpayers can visit www.211ct.org or dial 211 and press ‘3’ then ‘6’ to make a tax filing support appointment.

At each VITA site, IRS-certified volunteers will help individuals and families prepare and electronically file their Federal and State returns at no charge. Along with tax filing help, taxpayers can learn more about financial literacy support available to them from each organization.

Residents who visit www.211ct.org or dial 211, ‘3’ then ‘6’ can make an appointment at one of these Hartford-area sites:

Goodwin College, East Hartford; Community Renewal Team’s Wethersfield or Market Street Hartford locations, Hartford Public Library Downtown, Mi Casa, The Village for Families and Children’s North and South Hartford locations, Upper Albany Neighborhood Collaborative, Urban League of Greater Hartford, YWCA, Pope Park, Capital Community College, Billings Forge, Trinfo Café and University of Hartford.

Tax filers must bring all tax documentation with them to their VITA appointments, including picture ID, social security cards or Taxpayer Identification Number, birth dates for the filer, spouse and dependents; wage and earnings statements (Form W-2, W2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all their 2018 employers); interest and dividend statements from banks; a copy of their 2017 tax return; proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit of refunds; daycare payments and the daycare provider’s identification number; and health coverage statements. Married couples filing jointly must both be present to sign required tax forms. Learn more about what to bring to your VITA appointment here.

Individuals and families with household incomes up to $66,000 in 2018 can also get assistance and file online at any time using MyFreeTaxes.com.

For more than a decade, VITA coalitions have been helping working families become financially secure. Free tax preparation is one way for hard-working families to keep more money in their wallets by obtaining the tax refunds and credits they have earned. Last year nearly 28,500 tax filers across Connecticut received close to $54 million in refunds and credits thanks to the efforts of the volunteers and organizations involved in the VITA program.

The 2019 VITA and MyFreeTaxes program partners are: CT Association for Human Services; Human Resources Agency of New Britain; Internal Revenue Service; The Village for Families & Children; and Connecticut United Ways.

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