MORRISTOWN — United Way of Northern New Jersey is teaming up with community partners, including the IRS, AARP, NORWESCAP, and others, to provide low- and moderate-income residents with free tax preparation from IRS-certified volunteers. These free tax sites will be open in Morris, suburban Essex, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties from Feb. 1 through April 15.
All New Jersey residents can start making appointments now by dialing 211 to find a nearby location. Day, evening, and weekend hours are available by appointment only at locations throughout the northern New Jersey region. Residents should use the following phone numbers to begin scheduling appointments today:
2-1-1 for appointments in Morris and suburban Essex
908-253-6521 for appointments in Somerset County
888-387-9830, x3502 for appointments in Sussex and Warren counties
Additionally, residents can make appointments online at www.UnitedWayNNJ.org/FreeTaxPrep.
For those who cannot travel to a free tax site, United Way is also partnering with MyFreeTaxes to provide community members with a free online service to do their taxes from their personal computer. Families and individuals with a combined income under $58,000 in 2013 are qualified to use this service. To learn more, visit www.MyFreeTaxes.com/UnitedWayofNorthernNewJersey.
These free services are available only to families and individuals with a simple return (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, Schedules A and B). These services are not applicable to businesses, stockholders, or landlords.
“Our residents immediately save at least $200 just by taking advantage of this free service and they could save thousands more on specialized tax credits they may qualify for and never knew about,” said United Way of Northern New Jersey CEO John Franklin. “We know that every dollar counts for our residents who are struggling to keep up with this region’s high cost of living.”
Through this United Way partnership last year, trained community volunteers prepared more than 4,600 free tax returns, saving area residents nearly $1 million in tax preparation costs.
Each year, the United Way Income Tax Assistance Program seeks to provide free tax return services and education about specialized tax credits available to area residents, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Education Tax Credits. These credits are designed to provide relief to low- and moderate-income households.
To learn more about the United Way Income Tax Assistance Program, visit www.UnitedWayNNJ.org/FreeTaxPrep.