CSD Urges Californians to Claim Cash Back Tax Refund on National EITC Awareness Day
It's Your Money, Get It!
January 25, 2019
Today, the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) recognizes National EITC Awareness Day by urging Californians this tax season to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a cash back tax refund that puts money back in the pockets of working families. CSD and its Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) partners encourage moderate-income Californians to not only claim EITC, but visit their local Internal Revenue Service (IRS) certified free tax preparation assistance center to get help filing their taxes and keep their whole refund.
“By filing their taxes and claiming EITC, working Californians can get hundreds of dollars back,” said CSD Director Linné Stout. “We need to spread the word - these tax refunds make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, and using IRS certified free tax preparation assistance centers will ensure that filers keep every penny of their refund.”
California families earning less than $54,884 that qualify for the federal EITC may receive cash back by claiming EITC on their tax return. In addition, Californians earning $24,950 or less may also qualify for the California EITC (Cal EITC). When combined, these tax credits can put hundreds, even thousands, back in the pockets of California families.
California’s EITC
In addition to the federal EITC, the Cal EITC is a refundable cash back credit for qualified low-to-moderate income working Californians. In 2018, Cal EITC provided nearly $400 million in cash back tax refunds to boost the income of approximately 1.4 million eligible tax filers.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Fiscal Year 2019-20 State Budget has proposed more than doubling the existing California EITC by investing $1 billion in a new “Working Families Tax Credit.” This expansion is designed to help low-income families with the costs of housing, rent, and child care, and will provide a $500 credit for families with children under the age of six. By also expanding eligibility to full-time workers earning $15 per hour, the credit is expected to reach 400,000 additional families. In total, the expanded program is expected to provide $1 billion in credits to 2.4 million families.
Free Tax Preparation Services
Whether required to file taxes or not, Californians must file their tax returns to qualify for EITC. To help you keep every cent of your cash back EITC, local CSBG agencies are here to help with no-cost IRS certified tax preparation services. A list of CSBG agencies offering no-cost tax preparation can be found below, or search for the no-cost tax preparation site near you by visiting CalEITC4Me.org/Get-It.
For more information about EITC, visit CalEITC4me.org.
Alameda County: Alameda County-Oakland Community Action Partnership
Partnering with 2-1-1 Alameda and United Way Bay Area
For more information call 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898-211, or visit https://earnitkeepitsaveit.org/find-tax-help-now/.
Alameda County: Berkeley Community Action Agency
For more information call (510) 981-5428, email wywong@cityofberkeley.info, or visit www.cityofberkeley.info.
Amador County: Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency
For more information call (209) 268-6232, email tax@atcaa.org, or visit www.atcaa.org.
Butte County: Community Action Agency of Butte County, Inc.
For more information call (530) 712-2883, email spowell@buttecaa.com, or visit www.buttecaa.com.
Calaveras County: Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency
For more information call (209) 268-6232, email tax@atcaa.org, or visit www.atcaa.org.
Contra Costa County: Contra Costa County Employment & Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau
Partnering with United Way Contra Costa
For more information call (800) 358-8832, 2-1-1, text your zip code to 898-211 or visit http://earnitkeepitsaveit.org.
Del Norte County: Del Norte Senior Center
For more information call (707) 464-3069, email aweston@dnsc1.org, or visit www.delnorteseniorcenter.org.
El Dorado County: El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency
Partnering with AARP Volunteer Tax-Aide Program
For more information call (530) 903-8151 or (888) 687-2277, search www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action, or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/.
Fresno County: United Way of Fresno and Madera Counties
For more information call 2-1-1 or (866) 559-4211, email aruiz@uwfm.org, or visit www.uwfm.org.
Glenn County: Glenn County Health and Human Services Agency, Community Action Division
Partnering with Colusa, Glenn, and Trinity Community Action Partnership
For more information call (530) 934-1448, email cclark@countyofglenn.net or visit www.cgtcap.org.
Humboldt County: Redwood Community Action Agency
Partnering with the United Way of the Wine Country
For more information call (707) 528-4485 X122, email kelsey.cupples@unitedwaywinecountry.org, or visit https://www.unitedwaywinecountry.org/.
Imperial County: Campesinos Unidos, Inc.
For more information call (760) 370-5100 Ext. 5131, email
ilopez@campesinosunidos.org, or visit www.campesinosunidos.org.
Inyo County: Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action, Inc.
Partnering with AARP Volunteer Tax-Aide Program
For more information call (760) 937-1397, email suestavlo@yahoo.com, search www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action, or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/.
Kern County: Community Action Partnership of Kern
For more information call (661) 834-1724, email vita@capk.org, or visit www.capk.org.
Kings County: Community Services Employment Training, Inc.
For more information call (559) 732-4194, email albert.cendejas@cset.org, or visit www.cset.org/vita.
Kings County: Kings Community Action Organization, Inc.
For more information call (559) 904-8854, email sperico@kcao.org, or visit www.kcao.org.
Lake County: North Coast Opportunities
Partnering with United Way of the Wine Country
For more information call (707) 467-3236, email kharrison@ncoinc.org, or visit www.ncoinc.org.
Los Angeles County: City of Los Angeles, Housing and Community Investment Development
Partnering with Family Resource Centers
For more information call (213) 808-8938, email maria.c.lopez@lacity.org, or visit http://hcidla.lacity.org/family-source-centers.
Los Angeles County: Foothill Unity Center, Inc.
For more information call (626) 358-3486, email tashera@foothillunitycenter.org, or visit www.foothillunitycenter.org.
Los Angeles County: Long Beach Community Action Partnership
For more information call (562) 216-4600 or visit www.lbcap.org.
Los Angeles County: Workforce Development, Aging & Community Services
Partnering with AARP Volunteer Tax-Aide Program
For more information call (323) 260-2003, search www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action, or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/.
Marin County: Community Action Marin
For more information call (415) 526-7532, email dbrown@camarin.org, or visit www.camarin.org.
Madera County: Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Inc.
Partnering with United Way of Fresno and Madera Counties
For more information call 2-1-1 or (866) 559-4211, email aruiz@uwfm.org, or visit www.uwfm.org.
Mendocino County: North Coast Opportunities
Partnering with United Way of the Wine CountryFor more information call (707) 467-3236
, email kharrison@ncoinc.org, or visit www.ncoinc.org.
Mono County: Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action, Inc.
Partnering with AARP Volunteer Tax-Aide Program
For more information call (760) 934-5674, email suestavlo@yahoo.com, search www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action, or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/.
Monterey County: Center for Employment Training
For more information call (408) 534-5413, email ppdo@cetweb.edu, or visit https://cetweb.edu/.
Monterey County: Monterey County Community Action Partnership
Partnering with United Way Monterey County
For more information call (831) 757-3206 Ext: 208, email socorro.bernal@unitedwaymcca.org, or visit www.unitedwaymcca.org/freetaxprep.
Nevada County: Nevada County Department of Housing and Community Services
Partnering with 2-1-1 Nevada County
For more information call 2-1-1 or (530) 265-7097, email snrdcss@co.nevada.ca.us, or visit http://211nevadacounty.org/.
Orange County: Community Action Partnership of Orange County
For more information call (714) 907-1880 Ext. 4405, email dbarrett@capoc.org, or visit www.capoc.org.
Riverside County: Community Action Partnership of Riverside County
For more information call (951) 955-6488, email cclinton@capriverside.org, or visit www.capriverside.org.
San Benito County: San Benito County, Department of Community Services & Workforce Development
Partnering with San Benito County Community Action Board
For more information call (831) 630-0892, or visit www.sbccab.wix.com/cab1 and http://hhsa.cosb.us/
San Bernardino County: Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County
For more information call (909) 723-1571, email cblythe@capsbc.org or visit www.capsbc.org.
San Diego County: Community Action Partnership San Diego County
Partnering with 2-1-1 San Diego
For more information call 2-1-1 or visit www.211sandiego.org.
San Joaquin County: San Joaquin County Department of Aging and Community Services
For more information call (209) 468-1784 or email psoto@sjgov.org.
San Luis Obispo County: Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc.
Partnering with United Way of San Luis Obispo, and Cal Poly State University
For more information call (805) 756-2920 or (805) 541-1234.
San Mateo County: San Mateo County Human Services Agency
Partnering with Samaritan House
For more information call (650) 294-4323 or (650) 347-3648, email latrice@samaritanhousesanmateo.org, or visit http://samaritanhousesanmateo.org/.
Santa Barbara County: Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara
Partnering with United Way of Northern Santa Barbara County
For more information call (805) 964-8857, email klawrence@cacsb.com, or visit https://211santabarbaracounty.org/eitc.
Santa Clara County: Sacred Heart Community Service
For more information call (408) 278-2172, email adrianag@sacredheartcs.org, or visit www.sacredheartcs.org.
Santa Cruz County: Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, Inc.
Partnering with Project Scout of the Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties
For more information call (877) 373-8297, email jans@seniorscouncil.org, or visit http://www.seniorscouncil.org/programs/projectscout/.
Shasta County: Shasta County Community Action Agency
Partnering with Goodwill
For more information call (530) 351-7600, email contactus@goodwill.org, or visit www.unitedway.org/myfreetaxes/sacramentovalley.
Sonoma County: Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County
For more information call (707) 544-6911 Ext. 1023, email mrodriguez@capsonoma.org, or visit www.capsonoma.org.
Tehama County: Tehama County Community Action Agency
For more information call (530) 526-8477, email bleftwich@tcdss.org, or visit www.tehamacountyCAA.org.
Tulare County: Community Services Employment Training, Inc.
For more information call (559) 732-4194, email albert.cendejas@cset.org, or visit www.cset.org/vita.
Tuolumne County: Amador-Tuolumne Community Action Agency
For more information call (209) 268-6232, email tax@atcaa.org, or visit www.atcaa.org.
Ventura County: Community Action of Ventura County, Inc.
Partnering with United Way of Ventura County
For more information call 2-1-1, or visit www.myfreetaxes.org.
Yolo County: Yolo County Health & Human Services Agency
Partnering with Yolo County Children’s Alliance
For more information call (916) 572-0560, email Guadalupe.Lugo@yolocounty.org or visit www.yolokids.org/.