U.S. Representative Joe Courtney visits Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program in Vernon

February 24, 2017 – U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-2nd) recently visited Access Community Action Agency in Vernon, one of the Greater Hartford region’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sites, to recognize the work of volunteers to help working families file their taxes and support our local economy.

“People who use the VITA program are getting accurate help on their taxes and the maximum return on their refunds,” said Courtney. “This is a huge benefit to our local area because the folks who qualify for assistance through VITA and get refunds almost immediately put that money back into the local economy. It’s sort of a stealth stimulus program for Eastern Connecticut.”

Pat McMahon is a CPA who volunteers with Community Accounting Services, which provides volunteers each year for the VITA site at Access Agency. According to McMahon, VITA’s Vernon location files an average of 15 returns each day they're open. Last tax season, the Access site in Vernon filed 453 accepted returns.

At VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites throughout Greater Hartford and Windham Counties, IRS-certified volunteers are working one-on-one with taxpayers with incomes up to $54,000 to prepare and electronically file state and federal income tax forms at no charge.

Tax filers may call 2-1-1 and press 3 and then 6, or visit www.211ct.org to see if they qualify for free tax preparation and make an appointment at a convenient VITA site in Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, New Britain, Vernon, West Hartford, Windsor Locks, and the Windham region.

Individuals and families with household incomes up to $62,000 in 2015 can file for free on their own and obtain online support at any time using MyFreeTaxes.com.

VITA and MyFreeTaxes is offered by The Village for Families & Children and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut to help working families become financially secure. Free tax preparation is one way for hard-working families to keep more money in their wallets.

Last tax season, through VITA and MyFreeTaxes, nearly 11,400 working individuals and families in central and northeastern Connecticut received $29.1 million in federal tax refunds and credits – money coming right back into our community.

For more information and a list of VITA sites, visit thevillage.org/program/vita/.

The 2017 VITA and MyFreeTaxes program partners are: Community Accounting Services; Human Resources Agency of New Britain; Internal Revenue Service; The Village for Families & Children; and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut.

The 2017 VITA/MyFreeTaxes program is generously supported by: Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Farmington Bank Community Foundation.

###