BOSTON, MA–LIFT-Boston’s offices in Cambridge and Somerville recently completed a monumental tax preparation season, completing over 580 returns for low-income individuals and families in the region. Refunds totaled more than $900,000, with approximately $271,000 coming from the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). On average, LIFT clients received $1,550 in refunds.
Going into the tax season with a challenge to prepare 500 tax returns, the two Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites prepared ambitious tax schedules to meet their goal. LIFT-Somerville offered extended tax hours throughout the week, and both offices developed Saturday Tax Clinics throughout the tax season to reach residents who were unable to visit the offices during the week. LIFT-Boston tax sites recorded the following tax preparation totals in 2011:
|
Somerville |
Cambridge |
Total |
|
| # of Returns |
403 |
181 |
584 |
| Fed Ref |
$554,860.00 |
$186,574.00 |
$741,434.00 |
| State |
$123,916.00 |
$ 40,822.00 |
$164,738.00 |
| Total |
$678,776.00 |
$227,396.00 |
$906,172.00 |
| EIC |
$211,409.00 |
$ 59,560.00 |
$270,969.00 |
| Avg. |
$ 1,684.31 |
$ 1,256.33 |
$ 1,551.66 |
By comparison, LIFT-Boston’s VITA sites prepared approximately 320 tax returns in 2010, with refunds totaling $444,800, EIC totaling $141,800 and the average tax return was $1,380.
With LIFT-Cambridge serving as one of only two VITA sites in Cambridge, and LIFT-Somerville serving as the only VITA site in Somerville, LIFT is providing a vital service to members of the Boston community.
###