Just ran into Olivia, a terrific lady who volunteers in our United Way 2-1-1 call center. She shared a great story about receiving an unexpected $700 windfall, compliments of EITC, which helped her pay off her mortgage.
Talk about being home free! We’ve been saying all along that EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit), can make a huge difference in people’s live – and Olivia is the proof.
As a retired special needs teacher, Olivia isn't exactly rolling in dough. She's worked hard all of her life and every dollar counts. Satisfying the mortgage on her Habitat for Humanity home is an amazing achievement that will free up money for other important needs. It also lets her do more of what she loves most – serving as a community volunteer.
Like so many people, Olivia had never heard of EITC before.
It was only by offering information to 2-1-1 callers that she found out that she might qualify for a refund, which this year ranges from $457 to $5,657.
And get this – in all the years she’s been paying to have her taxes done by a BIG NAME TAX PREPARER, the trusted experts never once mentioned a word about EITC. Seems a little odd, given that the program’s been around since 1975 and helps an estimated 5 million hardworking people every year.
After visiting one of 30 local FREE tax prep sites, Olivia learned that she even qualified for a retroactive refund from last year. She said the whole process took 45 minutes, the full refund arrived in 10 days and she didn’t have to spend a dime.
“With the economy as bad as it is, EITC is a real blessing,” Olivia said. “Getting your taxes done for free makes it even better!”
After a lifetime of giving to others, it’s great to know that something good came back to Olivia.
Mary D'Ottavio works in Heart of Florida United Way's marketing department.
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