Free VITA tax services and appointments available to eligible county residents

The deadline to file your federal and state income tax returns is April 15, 2024. With a month to go, the Transitional Assistance Department’s (TAD) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) staff has been busy helping taxpayers throughout San Bernardino County meet the April 15 filing deadline. If you worked in 2023 and your combined household earned income was less than $64,000, there is still time for you to schedule an appointment and file your return for free. You may be eligible to receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit, for a refund of up to $3,529 or the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, for a refund up to $7,430.

Alongside federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), California provides two additional credits – the Young Child Tax Credit and the Foster Youth Tax Credit, each up to $1,117.

To qualify for the Young Child Tax Credit, you must meet the California EITC criteria and have a child under the age of six as of December 31, 2023.

The Foster Youth Tax Credit is available to current and former foster youth. To qualify, you must:

• Be or have been in the California Foster Care System on or after your 13th birthday, and

• Be between 18-25 years old at the end of the 2023 tax year, and

• Be eligible for the California EITC, and

• Provide proof of foster youth status.

Federal and California state returns are prepared and e-filed by IRS-certified tax preparers. Day and evening appointments are available, Monday through Friday, as well as Saturday appointments. For more information and to schedule your appointment at a location near you, please visit wp.sbcounty.gov/tad/resources or call 1 (877) 410-8829.

Additional County Update News – March 21, 2024