Legal Aid of NC announces free tax preparation in Forsyth County
and surrounding area
January 27, 2010 MEDIA RELEASE,
LANC-Winston-Salem Office
(Winston-Salem, NC) –
Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) will offer free tax
preparation for eligible taxpayers in Forsyth, Davie, Iredell,
Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties.
"This is a unique opportunity to help families who are reeling from
the national economic crisis," said Gray Wilson, coordinator of the
LANC Tax Assistance Project (TAP) in the Winston-Salem area.
"LANC is committed to helping eligible North Carolina workers claim
the Earned Income Tax Credits as a means to help them weather the
economic crisis and to allow them to build a better future."
LANC focuses its tax preparation assistance to
low-income families who are eligible for the
Earned Income Tax Credits (ETIC).
Eligible North Carolina workers can also
claim the North Carolina Earned Income Tax Credit (NC EITC) when
they file their 2009 taxes. The NC EITC will be worth 3.5 percent of
the federal credit. For families with two or more children, the two
credits combined can be over $5,000.
According to EITC Carolinas, eligible workers leave an estimated
$135 million or more in federal EITC dollars unclaimed every year in
North Carolina, costing the state at minimum an additional $200
million in statewide economic stimulus. Many workers may be eligible
for the EITC even if they lost their jobs during 2009. In addition
to taxpayers who do not claim the tax credit, even more money is
lost to working people when they use paid preparers and purchase
costly rapid anticipation loans at high interest rates.
The eligibility requirements for both the federal and NC EITC are
the same. Taxpayers who earned $49,000 or less may be eligible for
free income tax preparation services provided by IRS‐certified
preparers at LANC. Families earning up to $43,279 in 2009 ($48,279
for married filing jointly) may qualify for the EITC, depending on
their number of children and their filing status. Single workers and
those without children are also eligible.
Workers who do not owe taxes or who are not required to file a tax
return are also eligible for EITC, but they must file a federal
return to receive the federal credit and a state return for the NC
EITC.
To make an appointment for free tax preparation, call
LANC-Winston-Salem Office in Winston-Salem, 336-725-9162.
Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC)
is a statewide nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services
in civil matters to eligible, low-income residents. LANC serves all
100 counties of North Carolina through 24 geographically located
offices across the state. The
LANC-Winston-Salem Office serves clients in Davie, Forsyth,
Iredell, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties and is located at 102
West Third Street, Suite 460, in Winston-Salem.
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CONTACTS:
Gray Wilson, (Coordinator, LANC Tax
Assistance Project, LANC-Winston-Salem Office), Winston-Salem, NC,
336-723-9147
Willette Crews (Statewide Coordinator, LANC Tax Assistance Project,
Legal Aid of NC), Durham, NC, 919-688-6396
Dock Kornegay (Director, Public Relations & Development, LANC),
Raleigh, NC, 919-856-2564
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website
are for information and educational purposes only and do not
constitute legal advice.
Also please note that Legal Aid of North Carolina does not
provide legal assistance by E-mail. Contact your Legal Aid of
North Carolina office or a private attorney if you need to speak
to an attorney regarding your particular situation.
See our
complete disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.