SPRINGFIELD – Families and individuals with low incomes can take advantage of free services to help them prepare for tax season.
Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary James Dimas announced Friday that free income tax preparation and electronic filing is available for families with incomes up to $55,000 and individuals with annual incomes up to $30,000.
“Many low income families don’t have access to affordable, professional tax preparation. Filing tax returns can be complicated, and we want as many Illinois workers as possible to be made aware of this free service,” Dimas explains.
Through a partnership between IDHS and tax assistance centers across the state, volunteers will be providing counseling and advise workers about withholding allowances, filing status and other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Volunteer tax preparers can assist in filing federal and state income tax returns for tax year 2016, and in some cases, for prior years.
Some of the tax assistance centers participating include the Center for Economic Progress and Ladder Up.
More than 29,000 residents received free income tax preparation assistance from over 1,800 tax preparers last year.
The Illinois Department of Revenue and Internal Revenue Service will begin accepting 2016 state and federal individual income tax returns on Monday, January 23. The 2017 tax filing deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2017.
Most sites will be open between January 21 and April 18.
Participants are asked to bring appropriate documentation and appointments are made on a first come, first served basis.
A complete list of tax help sites and their hours of operations can be found below.
