There are two opportunities to receive no-cost, quality tax assistance and preparation services: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and MyFreeTaxes. Choose your way!

Get help from an IRS-certified volunteer, if your household income is up to $56,000:

• In Greater Hartford and Windham County, dial 2-1-1 and press ‘3’ for an appointment orsign up online at www.211ct.org.
• For a VITA site in New Britain, call 860-612-3983.
• Get your refund in 7-10 days.

At our local VITA sites, IRS-certified volunteers will make the process easy, helping you get all the tax refunds and credits you’ve earned. Most appointments take 30 minutes to an hour.

File on your own online, if your household income is up to $66,000:

• Prepare and file your taxes at MyFreeTaxes.com.
• Online help is available.

Our United Way, in partnership with The Village for Families & Children, Human Resources Agency of New Britain, Inc., City of Hartford and a network of municipal and community providers in the Greater Hartford, New Britain and the Windham regions, connects hard-working families with opportunities to keep more money in their wallets through the VITA and MyFreeTaxes campaign. This is just one way we work with our partners to help local families become more financially secure.

More about VITA and MyFreeTaxes:

VITA helps individuals and families with annual incomes up to $56,000 get ahead financially, pay down debt and work toward saving for the future. Also, in partnership with United Way Worldwide, those with household incomes of $66,000 are encouraged to file their own taxes online at MyFreeTaxes.com.

VITA sites and the no-cost online platform will open in January 2020 and run through Tax Day on Wednesday, April 15, 2020.

At VITA sites, IRS-certified volunteers interact one-on-one with clients to prepare and electronically file state and federal income tax forms at no charge.

Volunteers also ensure that taxpayers claim the proper credits including Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit, Education Credit and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled. State and federal credits may add up to more for filers next season.

While visiting VITA sites, filers will learn about other resources and benefits available to help them become financially secure and independent.

VITA sites operate during convenient times and free tax assistance is also available in Spanish and Polish at some sites.

Beginning January 2020, to make an appointment at a site in Greater Hartford and Windham County, visit www.211ct.org, click ‘Tax help’ at the top of the screen, or dial 2-1-1 and press ‘3′ then ‘6’.

United Way 2-1-1 is a free, multilingual information and referral hotline, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For an appointment at a New Britain tax center operated by the Human Resources Agency of New Britain, Inc., please call 860-612-3983.

How does VITA help families and our community?

In 2018, filers received $28 million in federal refunds and credits through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and MyFreeTaxes Campaign in central and northeastern Connecticut with help from 500 dedicated IRS-certified volunteers who contributed 10,000+ hours of service.

Volunteer efforts build a stronger community for all of us because refund dollars are often invested locally, whether it’s for household essentials or one’s future, such as education.

Please join us in sharing information with working families about no-cost tax preparation services in our region.