Rep. Sykes Announces Federal Grant for Tax Filing Assistance
AKRON, OH – Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) announced the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) awarded grants totaling $260,000 to help community members access free tax-filing services. The United Way of Greater Stark County received $160,000 and the United Way of Summit and Medina received $100,000 to run the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.
“Filing taxes can be stressful and expensive, especially for individuals and families already working hard to make ends meet. These grants will help connect more Northeast Ohioans with free, reliable tax preparation services so they can file with confidence. I’m proud to see these investments supporting United Way organizations in our community and helping ensure that cost is not a barrier to accessing important tax services.” said Rep. Sykes.
Nationally, the IRS is awarding 282 VITA grants totaling $46 million and 49 TCE grants totaling $12 million. The VITA program has operated for over 50 years and helps individuals in need file their taxes for free. While the IRS does not set a program-wide income limit, individual VITA sites may establish their own. The program generally focuses on serving individuals who are low income, disabled, or do not speak English.
In addition to VITA, the TCE program offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. Learn more about both programs here.