United Way led Earn It! Keep It! $ave It! Coalition Returns $4.8 Million to Local Taxpayers

United Way of the Wine Country and Earn It! Keep It! $ave It! partners announce that from January to April they helped more than 3,500 individuals and families file their taxes for free, bringing over $4.8 million dollars in tax refunds back into the pockets of local taxpayers in Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

Earn It! Keep It! $ave It! is a United Way led coalition of local nonprofits, public and private organizations that come together to provide free income tax assistance and financial education to low and moderate income individuals and families. This service is available to any individual or family with household income under $52,000.

Taxpayers are often unaware of the important credits they are eligible for, leaving valuable dollars on the table. In fact, the IRS estimates that one in five taxpayers does not claim one of the biggest boosters to family incomes- the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable credit that can return up to $6,143 per qualifying family – simply because they are unaware or do not file their taxes. Of the 4.8 million returned to local taxpayers, more than 1.8 million stemmed from EITC refunds alone.

“Free quality tax preparation is the cornerstone of United Way of the Wine Country’s financial stability initiative, which helps families gain financial independence,” said Mike Kallhoff, United Way of the Wine Country President and CEO. “For many families throughout our region living paycheck to paycheck, tax preparation done right can result in a significant boost to help individuals pay down debt, save for a home and build assets.”

This year, in Sonoma County, the EKS Coalition partnered with Sonoma Health Action, a coalition of private, public and community agencies committed to improving Sonoma County’s health and economic wellness through collaboration on policy, systems and environmental change. Through this partnership with Health Action, many EKS tax preparation locations were able to offer additional economic empowerment benefits for low-income households, including health insurance and nutrition assistance, consumer friendly banking services, savings incentives, and community resource information and referrals. The coalition plans to expand these services to additional counties in the next tax season.

About United Way of the Wine Country
United Way of the Wine Country works to advance the common good along the North Coast of California in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Del Norte and Humboldt Counties. We mobilize the caring power of our communities to address underlying problems, improve lives and build a healthy vibrant community by focusing on issues surrounding education, income and health. For more information, visit United Way of the Wine Country online at www.unitedwaywinecountry.org.