Judy Montero

Want to help Denver ’s low-income families? You can help them file for the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, on their 2009 tax return. You don’t have to be an accountant, a computer whiz, or a tax expert; just have a willingness to help, and you’re in. In exchange for your commitment, you can complete your family’s taxes for free using the latest IRS software.

Many working families are not connected to the financial mainstream and therefore don’t know how to claim the EITC, which benefits millions of low-income families annually. National estimates indicate that approximately 15 percent of eligible families do not claim the EITC. Perhaps they don’t know they’re eligible, or they may feel that since their incomes are so low, there’s no need to file at all. Education and free tax preparation are crucial to these families.

The DABC will train you to provide tax assistance to struggling single moms, parents who have lost their jobs, immigrant families who cannot speak English, and others who can really benefit from the aid. DABC tax law training is offered online or through a self-study course in December and January. E-file training to prepare returns using a computer will be provided to all volunteers in January. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 28 hours of volunteer time (after training) between January 30 and April 15, 2010.

Interested parties should complete an online application at http://www.denverabc.org/volunteers10.htm; application deadline is November 30. Please put “City of Denver ” in the “Referred By” field. For additional information, please visit the DABC website: www.DenverABC.org or e-mail Volunteer@DenverABC.org.