United Way Helps to Return $36 Million to Local Taxpayers

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) alongside volunteers, the IRS, and dozens of community partners, helped to return $36 million to local taxpayers during this year’s tax season.

In eight local counties (Atlantic, Cape May, Burlington, Camden, and Cumberland counties in New Jersey, and Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Southeastern PA) IRS-trained volunteers helped prepare free tax returns for 25,411 individuals with a household income of less than $52,000.

“Across the region, UWGPSNJ mobilized hundreds of IRS-trained volunteers, more than 700 volunteers in Southeastern Pennsylvania alone, to assist local residents making a total household income of less than $52,000 per year with free tax preparation, ensuring that they obtain the full refund available,” said Kevin Dow, senior vice president of impact and innovation, in an email.

UWGPSNJ partners with local organizations to offer free one-on-one tax filing support at convenient locations in communities across the region. Community partners in this year’s program include Montgomery County Asset Building Coalition, Delaware County Asset Development Group, Campaign for Working Families, the Camden Asset Network, AARP, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), the IRS and others.

Often taxpayers are unaware of the valuable tax credits they are eligible for, so UWGPSNJ works to make sure adults have access to the tools and resources they need to obtain financial stability. Tax preparation services like VITA enable families to maximize their incomes.

“In fact, the IRS estimates that one in five taxpayers does not claim one of the biggest boosters to family incomes – the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable credit that can return up to $6,143 per qualifying family – simply because they are unaware or do not file their taxes,” Dow said.

“The goal of VITA is to help more people in our region take advantage of valuable tax credits and receive refunds that can alleviate the stress caused by financial hardships,” he added.

UWGPSNJ has supported VITA in New Jersey since 2008 and in Southeastern Pennsylvania since 2009. Beyond the VITA program, UWGPSNJ also helps connect working individuals with resources for financial education, such as establishing good credit, budgeting and long-term money management.