Greater Portland Residents Saved More Than $500,000

This Tax Season

PORTLAND, ME—April 28, 2009—More than 3,000 hard-working families and individuals had their taxes prepared and electronically filed for free this tax season thanks to CA$H Greater Portland and AARP Tax-Aide. Those who took advantage of this free service saved $500,000 in income tax filing fees and got back more than $700,000 in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). One out of every four Cumberland County residents who qualify for the EITC never claim it—a loss of $4 million for the community.

The service, available throughout Greater Portland, helps low- and moderate-income households (generally those making $50,000 or less) avoid paying high-priced income tax filing fees, apply for tax credits they may not be aware of, and learn about local resources that could help them find ways to make the most of their money. These free programs and services are available to help with debt reduction, money management, and homebuyer education. More information about these resources is on the CA$H Greater Portland Web site, www.cashgp.org.

In total, $3.1 million in state and federal refunds were returned thanks to the efforts of 116 volunteers. Free tax preparation offered by CA$H and AARP Tax-aide are IRS “VITA” sites, a national Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program created in part to help filers claim the federal EITC—the largest antipoverty program in the country. As a VITA site, tax sites have to conform to IRS guidelines, requiring all volunteer tax preparers to be certified by the IRS, and adhere to strict standards of accuracy and confidentiality. Current and potential clients of the CA$H and AARP Tax-Aide tax sites should be confident that they will receive the highest level of service when they take advantage of this free resource.

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About CA$H Greater Portland and AARP Tax-Aide

CA$H Greater Portland, managed by United Way of Greater Portland, is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts encouraging families and individuals in Cumberland County to increase income, reduce debt, save for the future and achieve financial stability. CA$H is a year-round resource for the community, offering free tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, helping employers bring financial education tools to their employees, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money.

AARP Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service available to taxpayers with low- and moderate-income, with special attention to those age 60 and older. For more information, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

CA$H Greater Portland members include: AARP Tax-Aide, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Services, City of Portland, Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maine, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, Internal Revenue Service, KeyBank, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Portland Housing Authority, People’s Regional Opportunity Program, United Way of Greater Portland, and Women, Work and Community.

CONTACT

Nicole Evans, CA$H Project Director

United Way of Greater Portland

874-1000, ext. 326

nevans@unitedwaygp.org