People who earned less than $54,000 in 2017 have four last chances to get FREE tax prep or help to file an extension.

Monday, April 16
Hartnell College Main Campus, 411 Central Avenue, Salinas, Room B110 6-9pm
MPC Extension, 289 12th Street, Marina, Room MA101 5:30-8:30pm

Tuesday, April 17
CET Salinas, 24 East Alvin Drive, Salinas, 5-9pm
MPC Monterey Campus, 980 Fremont Street, Room BMC 206 5:30-8:30pm

In addition, the following sites will be open on Saturday, April 14:

CET Soledad, 930 Los Coches Rd, Soledad, 9am-2pm
Hartnell College Alisal Campus, 1752 Alisal Road, Room C205, Salinas, 9am-1pm
Salvation Army, 2460 N. Main Street, Salinas, 1pm-4pm
Marina Branch of Monterey County Free Libraries, 188 Seaside Avenue, Marina, 11am-2pm
Community Partnership for Youth – 775 Kimball Ave #101, Seaside, 9am-1pm

For people who prefer to do their own taxes, United Way also offers free online software for both federal and state returns on its website. To file for free online, household income can be as much as $64,000.

Regardless of whether you are required to file, United Way urges anyone who earned less than $54,000 to file taxes as they may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Many workers to not file because of the high cost of preparing even a simple return — $200. VITA eliminates this cost barrier and allows workers to claim all the refunds and credits for which they are eligible.

Last year, VITA Volunteers prepared 2,595 tax returns and helped local workers claim more than $3.4M in refunds and credits, resulting in an economic stimulus of $5.4 to our local economy.

VITA brings back money that stays in our community, benefiting the local economy and giving families a financial boost. The IRS estimates that one in four people do not claim the credits they are due and that more than $14 million in Earned Income Tax Credits goes unclaimed in Monterey County each year.