April 4, 2008

Free online tax preparation and E-filing services available to eligible San Jose taxpayers

Lower-income and active-duty military personnel from San Jose can receive free income tax preparation and filing assistance – and get a head start on obtaining refunds and rebates – through the Intuit Tax Freedom Project on Saturday, Apr. 5.

The program – designed for those making less than $30,000 and active-duty military – will be held:

DATE/TIME: Saturday, Apr. 5, 10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Crosscultural Community Center: 2296A Quimby Road, San Jose, CA 95122 (across the street from the Eastridge Mall).

The public can call 866-577-1231 to schedule an appointment and walk-ins are welcome.

Participants should bring the following:

- All W-2s, 1098Ts, and 1099s for 2007.

- Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for each family member.

- Most current telephone bill and recent electric bill.

- Proof-of-identity photo ID.

With volunteers from Intuit and the Crosscultural Center and tax experts on hand to assist, taxpayers will use TurboTax Freedom Edition to prepare and file their federal and state tax returns on their own for free. The Crosscultural Community Center will offer approximately 10 computers for this effort.

Representative Zoe Lofgren, tentatively scheduled to appear, encourages the public to take advantage of Intuit’s Tax Freedom Project as well as other free tax assistance opportunities available to them every day through San Jose’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). “I am so pleased families and individuals in San Jose have access to resources to prepare and file their returns for free and that they have options to do them on their own,” said Lofgren. “People with basic computer skills can prepare and file their returns with ease and confidence through the Tax Freedom Project, and from the process learn they can manage this piece of their financial lives. It’s a fantastic complement to the hands-on support VITA provides to the San Jose community.”

The event at the Crosscultural Center is part of a statewide effort directed at taxpayers who meet any one of the following criteria:

- Earned $30,000 Adjusted Gross Income or less in 2007.

- Qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

- Served as active-duty military in 2007, including Re-servists and National Guard, with a W-2 Form from the military and an adjusted gross income of $54,000 or less.

Participants will learn whether they qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refund designed for low-income families. They can also get help completing the new 1040A form, which is required for those who earned at least $3,000 in income and who want to receive a rebate through the Economic Stimulus program. Normally, those people do not need to file a tax return.

The program also offers participants a glimpse at the size of their refund checks. A new rebate calculator automatically will determine the amount of their pending rebates, allowing them to leave with an idea of how much money they’ll receive in a few weeks.

This self-tax preparation effort is jointly sponsored by the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and Intuit.