United Way offers free tax prep

MORRISTOWN — For Ashley Pirone, paying someone to prepare her taxes wasn’t adding up. The single working mom was spending hundreds of dollars on a service she needed but couldn’t afford.
When a friend told her about United Way of Northern New Jersey’s free tax preparation program last year, Pirone tried it. She hasn’t looked back since.
Not only does the free service allow Pirone to save the average $270 fee paid tax preparers charge, but she also benefits from tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which helps boost her refund.
A full time waitress, Pirone uses the refund and the money she saves in tax preparation fees to help pay for housing, to create an emergency fund and to save for her kids.
“Everyone is friendly, and I got back more money,” Pirone said about her experience using United Way’s free tax preparation program.
Pirone is among the 824,000 households throughout the state that are working hard but struggle to make ends meet. United Way calls these residents ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed).
United Way, in conjunction with NORWESCAP RSVP, Greater Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Partners for Health Foundation, Single Stop and the IRS, offers a free tax preparation program for ALICE and those in poverty throughout its five-county footprint. IRS-certified volunteers ensure clients in Morris, Somerset, Suburban Essex, Sussex and Warren counties receive all the available tax credits, including the Child Tax Credit and EITC.
“We know that every dollar counts for hardworking ALICE families,” United Way Chief Operating Officer Kiran Handa Gaudioso said. “The EITC is a proven anti-poverty tool that can offset a client’s tax liability or result in a cash refund, which can be used to pay basic bills, manage debt or establish savings.”
Last year, United Way and its partners helped struggling area residents claim nearly $1.5 million in EITC. Nearly 5,500 households filed their taxes for free, saving more than $1 million in tax preparation costs and getting back nearly $6.2 million in refunds.
Day, night and weekend appointments are available by calling 973.993.1160, x5. Residents can also make online appointments for some of the tax sites by visiting www.UnitedWayNNJ.org/FreeTaxPrep. Households earning less than $66,000 also have the option to file their taxes for free online using MyFreeTaxes.com.
These free services are available only to low- and moderate-income families and individuals. These services are not available to business owners or landlords.