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"The Earned Income Tax Credit, the major federal benefit for low and
moderate-income families, can be worth as much as $4,536 to a family
with two or more children," Gov. Blagojevich said. "In addition, the
state EITC can provide up to $226 in state income tax relief.
Together, these benefits put money back into the pockets of
Illinois' working families." Secretary Adams said IDHS is reaching
out to the people it serves, as well as those who have left DHS
programs for jobs. IDHS is encouraging these individuals to take
advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and free tax
counseling provided by the Tax Counseling Project and the Tax
Assistance Program. Most sites will open on January 27 and provide
services through April 14.
IDHS provides funding to the Tax Assistance Program and the Tax
Counseling Project, which is administered by the Center for Economic
Progress. These programs offer free tax assistance and promote the
EITC to low-income workers. The services are provided free of charge
to families with incomes less than $40,000 and to individuals with
incomes under $15,000.
Last year, nearly 27,000 Illinoisans received free income tax
preparation assistance worth $39 million in refunds.
David Marzahl, Executive Director of the Center for Economic
Progress, said, "Since 1994, the Center has assisted more than
150,000 working families through its Tax Counseling Project, helping
to generate more than $196 million in income tax refunds. During the
2007 tax season, the Center will assist more than 30,000 families.
The Center will be the first nonprofit to reach the 200 million
dollar mark in returned tax refunds since the program began in the
1990s. The Center appreciates the support of the Illinois Department
of Human Services in making this achievement possible with its
support."
Low-income working families, many of whom may be new to the
workforce, often do not have access to affordable, professional tax
preparation. Many taxpayers use tax preparation services that charge
high fees. Some are also persuaded to apply for "rapid refund" loans
with high interest rates and fees which can greatly reduce their
actual benefits.
"For many households, these benefits are critical to rising out
of poverty and making the transition from dependency to lasting
self-sufficiency," Adams said. "We are continuing to make as many
Illinois workers as possible aware of the EITC and how to apply for
it. Additionally, the EITC does not affect eligibility for DHS
benefits."
The Tax Counseling Project trains volunteers to provide free tax
services to families and individuals at 15 locations in Chicago and
19 other sites throughout Illinois.
DHS also funds the Tax Assistance Program (TAP), which has 25
locations in Chicago and the suburbs. TAP recruits tax professionals
to volunteer to assist low-income families.
Volunteers will prepare federal and state returns for the current
year and, if necessary, for the past tax years. Volunteers also
provide counseling and advise workers about withholding allowances,
filing status, and other tax benefits (such as the Child Credit and
the Child Care Credit) for which they may qualify.
For more information on the Tax Counseling Project, contact the
Center for Economic Progress in Chicago at 312-630-0273. Outside
Chicago call 217-753-1641, or call the toll-free statewide number at
888-827-8511. For information on the Tax Assistance Program, call
312-409-1555. Details are also available on the IDHS website at
www.dhs.state.il.us and
the Department of Revenue site at
www.revenue.state.il.us.
A complete listing of the tax help sites and their hours of
operation follows.
Electronic filing is available at many locations.
Tax
Counseling Project
Chicago Sites:
St. Sabina Employment Resource Center
7909 South Racine
Mon. and Thurs. 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am to 1:00pm
Abraham Lincoln Center
3858 South Cottage Grove
Mon., Wed., Thurs. 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am to 1:00pm
New Asia Bank
222 West Cermak Road
10:00am to 3:00pm
(Open only February 10 and 17)
Harold Washington College
30 E. Lake Street
Monday through Thursday 10:00am-1:00pm (beginning January 16)
Monday through Thursday 5:30pm-8:30pm (beginning January 27)
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Chicago Public Library
Rogers Park
6907 N. Clark Street
Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm
Association House
1116 N. Kedzie
Mon. and Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Malcolm X College
1900 West Van Buren
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Immaculate Heart of Mary Hall
4521 S. Ashland
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm
Homan Square Community Center
3517 W. Arthington
Mon. and Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm
Instituto del Progreso Latino
2570 South Blue Island Avenue
Mon., Wed., and Thurs. 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Tuesdays 2:00pm-5:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Southeast Chicago Development Commission Job Resource Center
2938 East 91st Street
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Truman College
1145 W. Wilson
Mon. through Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Northside Credit Union
1011 West Lawrence Avenue
Tuesdays 5:30pm-8:00pm
Bethel New Life Center
4006 West Lake Street
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp.
6101 S. Evans
Tues., Wed. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Suburban Sites:
Waukegan
YWCA-Lake County
Tues. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Thurs. 4:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Harvey
Harvey Public Library
15441 Turlington Avenue
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Joliet
University of St. Francis
College of Nursing Bldg.
605 Taylor Street
Tues. and Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm
Elgin
Gail Borden Library
200 N. Grove Avenue
Mon. and Tues. 5:30pm-8pm
Saturdays 1:00pm-4:00pm
Rockford
Northwest Community Center
1325 North Johnston Avenue
Mon. and Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm
[to top of second column] |
Downstate Sites:
Peoria
Carver Community Center
710 W. 3rd Ave.
Wed. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-3:00pm
Friendship House
800 NE Madison
Mon. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Alton
Illinois Employment Training Center
90 North Port Drive
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00 pm
Sat. 10:00am-1:00pm
Aurora
Waubonsie Community College
5 East Galena Blvd.
Wednesdays 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Decatur
Decatur Public Library
130 North Franklin Street
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm (until March 3)
Saturdays 9:30am-2:30pm
Champaign
Urban League of Champaign County
314 S. Neil
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-3:00pm
Appointment only weekdays
Call 217-363-3333, ext. 13
Springfield
Springfield Learning Center
1507 East Cook
Mon. and Wed. 5:30pm-9:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm
(site closed Feb 12, Mar 10, 12, 14 and April 7)
East St. Louis
New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
5803 Belmont Avenue
Tues. Wed. and Thurs. 5:30-8:00 pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
(Wed. and Thurs. not available after March 17)
Marion
Man-Tra-Con Corp.
3000 West Deyoung Suite 800-B
Mon. and Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Moline
Illinois Employment Training Center
(Open January 30-Feb 17)
4703 16th Street
Tues. and Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm
Bloomington
Bloomington Housing Authority
104 E. Wood Street
Mon. through Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-12:00pm
Miller Park Pavillion
1020 Morris Avenue
Mondays 9:00am-2:00pm
Normal
Normal Senior Center (begins January 26)
1 Normal Plaza
Fridays 9:30-2:30pm
Normal Public Library
206 West College Avenue
Mondays 5:30pm-7:30pm
Tax Assistance Program
Chicago:
(TAP programs open Saturdays January 27 -- April 14 8:30-11:30am.
Closed March 10)
City Hall
121 N. LaSalle Street Suite 100
(Also open Jan. 23, 25 & 30)
5:30pm-8:30pm
Open Tues. and Thurs. in February
Open Tues. in March and April
Austin Town Hall
5610 West Lake Street
McCormick Boys and Girls Club
4835 N. Sheridan Road
(Lawrence and Sheridan)
Roberto Clemente High School
1147 N. Western
(Division and Western)
WIC Food Center
4622 W. Diversy
(Cicero and Diversy)
Westside Technical Institute
2800 S. Western Ave.
Benito Juarez High School
2150 S. Laflin
(Also open Tues. and Thurs. in February, closing April 7)
Piotrowski Park
4247 W. 31st Street
(31st and Pulaski)
Holy Angels Church
545 E. Oakwood Avenue
Chicago Vocational School
2100 E. 87th Street
Kennedy-King College
6800 S. Wentworth
Olive-Harvey College
10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Reilly Elementary
3303 North Lawndale Avenue
(Open Saturdays only in February)
Wilbur Wright College
4300 Narragansett
(Site closed April 7)
Paul Revere Elementary
1010 East 72nd Street
(Open Feb. 3, 10 and 17)
St. Columbanas Church
7120 South Calumet
(Open Saturdays only in February)
St. Francis DeSales H.S.
10155 South Ewing
WIC Food Center
2400 South Kedzie
WIC Food Center
5332 S. Western
Suburban Sites:
Aurora
Cowherd Middle School
441 North Farnsworth
Calumet City
Thornton Fractional North H.S.
755 Pulaski Road
Maywood
Maywood Public Library
121 South 5th Avenue
Plainfield
Office of House Minority Leader Tom Cross
530 W. Lockport Suite 204
Villa Park
Illinois Department of Human Services
146 West Roosevelt Road
Waukegan
Park Place Senior Center
414 South Lewis Avenue
(Open 9:00am-12:00pm)
(Text
copied from file received from the
Illinois Office of Communication and Information) |
