Happy Lunar New Year and Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 2021
Dear Neighbors and Friends,
Happy Lunar New Year and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tax day is right around the corner! The state has a number of programs that may be of interest to you. The California Earned Income Tax Credit, our state’s Young Child Tax Credit, and free tax preparation and filing services may be helpful to you. Please visit https://a51.asmdc.org/caleitc for more details.
Most Californians earning below the median household income qualify for up to $6,700 back in their pockets, thanks to the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Those raising kids might also qualify for the $2,000 Federal Child Tax Credit, further bolstering the amount of money they get back from the Internal Revenue Service, (IRS) just by filing their tax return.
Although only Californians with Social Security Numbers qualify for the Federal EITC, households where one, or more, tax filer uses an Individual Tax Identification Number, (ITIN) are eligible to receive the federal Child Tax Credit. And thanks to a change in California law that I championed, both Californians who file taxes with Social Security Numbers and ITINs might now qualify for both the California Earned Income Tax Credit, (CalEITC) and our state’s Young Child Tax Credit.
CalEITC was designed to help hard-working families with low incomes. Any household reporting earnings of $30,000 or less, based on their 2020 income alone, might qualify for up to $3,000 in CalEITC. And if they have a child under 6-years-old, they might qualify for up to $1,000 from our state’s Young Child Tax Credit.
Because many are unaware of free options, most Californians pay around $300 to prepare and file their tax returns. This is money that would otherwise go to food, rent, medical expenses, clothes for growing kids, and other unavoidable expenses. I don’t want families who have faced financial struggles to have to go without so I’ve put together a list of resources to help you prepare and file your state and federal taxes for free.
Please visit https://a51.asmdc.org/caleitc to learn more about cash back tax credits like CalEITC and the Young Child Tax Credit, and to access free do-it-yourself online tax filing software, as well as IRS-trained Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) personnel that can help you, in virtual or socially distanced settings, prepare and file your state and Federal taxes for free.
Every year, thousands of Californians and their families miss out on millions of dollars in federal and state tax credits, and opportunities to prepare and file their federal and state taxes for free. You are entitled to and deserve the maximum refund. Even if you earned as little as $1 in 2020, you can still file a tax return this year, and get a check worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. It’s your money, so let’s make sure you get it!
In Service,
Wendy Carrillo
Assemblymember, 51st District
For COVID-19 vaccine information, please visit: https://a51.asmdc.org/covidvaccine
For low-cost home internet (broadband) information, please visit: https://a51.asmdc.org/low-cost-internet
For support with Employment Development Department (EDD) claims, please click here.
