Rep. Butterfield To Highlight Easy, Free Tax Prep Program


On Wednesday, February 18, Representative G. K. Butterfield (NC-1st District) will be in Greenville and Louisburg to urge eligible North Carolina residents to use the IRS and North Carolina Free File programs to save money at tax time. In general, people with an income of $60,000 or less – roughly 70 percent of all taxpayers – are able to use brand name tax preparation software to prepare and file their taxes for free.

Free File is a public-private partnership between the Internal Revenue Service and tax preparation software companies. North Carolina is one of 20 states plus the District of Columbia that have formed state Free File programs, enabling eligible taxpayers to file both their federal and state tax return online for free.

Each year, the tax filing process results in unclaimed tax credits and deductions. For instance, estimates indicate 20 to 25 percent of people eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) fail to claim it, missing out on a refundable federal tax credit of up to $6,000.

This program can also help take the stress out of new changes this year resulting from the start of the Affordable Care Act.  For the first time, taxpayers will have to disclose their health care status or face a tax penalty. The software made available through the Free File program uses simple, interview-style formats to help people navigate these processes.

After the briefing, there will be a Free File product demonstration for local community organizations and other interested individuals, showing them just how easy tax preparation can be. Media is encouraged to stay for the demonstration.

 

WHO:                   Representative G. K. Butterfield

                                Felecia Coley, North Carolina Department of Revenue

                                Nancy Council, North Carolina Department of Revenue

Dave Macklin, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA)

                                Bernie McKay, Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation

 

WHAT:                 Encouraging North Carolina Residents to Use Free File at Tax Time / Free File Demonstration

 

WHEN:                 Wednesday, February 18, 2015

                                10:30 a.m. – Public briefing with Rep. Butterfield in Greenville

                                11:00 a.m. – Free File Demonstration

 

                                2:30 p.m. – Public briefing with Rep. Butterfield in Louisburg

                                3:00 p.m. – Free File Demonstration

 

WHERE:               10:30 a.m.

STRIVE

600 West Third Street

Greenville, NC 27834

 

2:30 p.m.

Vance-Granville Community College

Franklin County Campus Building 4

8100 N. C. 56 Highway

Louisburg, NC 27549

 

 

To access the North Carolina Free File program, visit http://www.dornc.com/electronic/individual/software.html. For the IRS program, visit www.irs.gov/freefile. More information about the program is also available at CCIA’s Free File website, www.taxprephelp.org.