HEART OF CHICAGO — Low-income families can access free tax advice at 20 citywide locations now through April 15, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Tuesday.
"I think it’s a really powerful thing. You’re going to get free advice, free tax filing, and you get your full check," Emanuel said at a news conference at the Instituto del Progreso Latino, 2520 S. Western Ave.
At each of the 20 sites, volunteers will help eligible families make sense of tax returns and find possible deductions, the mayor said. One such deduction is the Earned Income Tax Credit, which could net families as much as $6,000.
The mayor's office estimates as many as 100,000 eligible Chicago households don't claim that credit, leaving as much as $200 million unclaimed annually.
For free tax help, the 2013 income limits are:
• $46,227 ($51,567 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children
• $43,038 ($48,378 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children
• $37,870 ($43,210 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child
• $14,340 ($19,680 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children
Call 311 or visit www.taxprep.cityofchicago.org to find the nearest center.
