Press Release - Thursday, February 08, 2007
Press Releases
No Data
Lt. Gov. Quinn promotes state-funded tax advice centers, encourages hard-working taxpayers to avoid costly refund-anticipation loans One-day tax advice centers available in Macomb, Danville
SPRINGFIELD - Working families throughout Illinois can still get the help they need to file their income tax returns, receive the tax credits they've earned - and avoid "refund anticipation loans" that can consume big chunks of hard-earned refund checks, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said Thursday.
"We want to make sure every eligible person in Illinois receives the full Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)," Quinn said. "The EITC is the best pro-job, pro-family and anti-poverty tax relief ever devised. People need to know the state of Illinois is offering them free assistance to fill out their state and federal tax returns and get their full refunds quickly and painlessly."
Under a grant from the Lt. Governor's office, volunteer tax counselors from the Center for Economic Progress are offering free tax preparation help during one-day sessions in Macomb and Danville this weekend. Taxpayers can walk in - without appointments - to work with trained volunteers who will help them fill out their returns and make sure they file for all the credits, deductions, and other benefits to which they're entitled.
"There are still too many families in Illinois who don't realize they qualify for the EITC," Quinn said. "Those working families could receive an average refund of $1,400 - the equivalent of two extra paychecks for many EITC-eligible taxpayers. We want to make sure those tax refund dollars go back into the pockets of the working people who need them most."
The Center for Economic Progress' state-funded Tax Counseling Project provides tax preparation and counseling services free of charge to families with incomes of less than $40,000 and to individuals with incomes under $15,000 - making approximately one in three Illinois taxpayers eligible for free tax help.
Through the Tax Counseling Project, offered statewide, and the Tax Assistance Program in the metropolitan Chicago area, the state is providing tax assistance and counseling at a total of 60 sites, more than ever before. Most of the free tax preparation sites will provide services through April 14. Last year, nearly 27,000 Illinoisans received free income tax preparation assistance that helped them to receive $39 million in refunds.
In Illinois, the average family filing for the EITC makes less than $14,000 a year. The free tax counseling services can save those taxpayers from paying commercial tax preparers. Even more important, the counselors can make sure everyone understands the high cost of ‘instant' refund anticipation loans.
Consumer advocates say many lower-income taxpayers do not realize these quick tax refunds are actually short-term loans, charging interest that amounts to annual rates of more than 500%. The National Consumer Law Center and the Consumer Federation of America estimate these refund anticipation loans cost taxpayers more than $1.4 billion in fees and interest each year
Since 1994, the Center for Economic Progress has assisted more than 150,000 working families through its Tax Counseling Project, helping to generate more than $196 million in income tax refunds. This season, the Center will become the first nonprofit in the nation to reach the $200 million dollar mark in total client refunds since the state-funded program began in the 1990s.
For more information on the Tax Counseling Project, contact the Center for Economic Progress at 217-753-1641, or call the toll-free statewide number at 888-827-8511. For more information on the Earned Income Tax Credit and other taxpayer initiatives, please visit the Lt. Governor's website at StandingUpForIllinois.org.
One-day tax preparation sites:
MACOMB - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Macomb Junior/Senior High School, Commons Entrance, 1525 S. Johnson. For more information, contact Bill Jacobs (309) 837-2363.
DANVILLE - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 11, Danville Area Community College, Lincoln Hall, Rooms 219/220. For more information, contact Suzie Hobick (217) 443-8770.
Other free, state-funded tax preparation sites:
Peoria
Carver Community Center
710 W. 3rd Ave.
Wed. & Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-3:00pm
Friendship House
800 NE Madison
Mon & Thurs 5:30pm-8:00pm
Alton
Illinois Employment Training Center
90 North Port Drive
Tues. & 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 Thur 5:30pm-8:00pm (until March 3)
Saturdays 9:30am-2:30pm
Champaign
Urban League of Champaign County
314 S. Neil
Tues.& Thurs. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-3:00pm
*Appointment only weekdays
Call 217-363-3333 ext. 13
Springfield
Springfield Learning Center
700 S. Livingston
Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm
East St. Louis
Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House
1045 E. State St.
Tues. Weds. & Thurs. 5:30-8:00 pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
(Thurs not available after March 17)
Marion
Man-Tra-Con Corp.
3000 West Deyoung Suite 800-B
Mon. & Wed. 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 10:00am-1:00pm
Elgin
Gail Borden Library
270 N. Grove Ave.
Mon & Tues 5:30pm - 8pm
Saturdays, 1-4pm
Moline
Illinois Employment Training Center (open January 30-Feb 17)
4703 16th Street
Tues & Thurs 5:30pm-8:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am-2:00pm
*Appointment Only Weekdays,
Call 309-793-6391
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
*Appointments only,
309-888-9099
Normal Public Library
206 West College Avenue
Mondays 5:30pm-7:30pm
Harvey
Service begins January 16
Harvey Public Library District
15441 Turlington Avenue
Tues & Thurs, 5:30pm - 8pm
Saturdays, 10am - 1pm
Joliet
University of St. Francis
College of Nursing
605 Taylor Street
Tues & Wed, 5:30pm - 8pm
Saturdays, 10am - 1pm
Rockford
Northwest Community Center
1325 N. Johnston Avenue
Mon & Wed, 5:30pm - 8pm
Saturdays, 10am - 1pm
Waukegan
YWCA-Lake County
2133 Belvidere Blvd.
Tues, 5:30pm - 8pm
Thurs, 4:30pm - 8pm
Saturdays, 10am - 1pm
Press Releases
No Data