Beaverton Offers Free Tax Help to Low and Middle Income Families

BEAVERTON, Ore. – The City of Beaverton, in partnership with AARP Tax-Aide and Creating Assets, Savings and Hope (CASH) Oregon, is making free tax help available to area residents.

The annual program runs from Jan. 31 to April 15 at the Beaverton Activities Center, 12500 SW Allen Boulevard. More than 60 IRS-certified volunteers will assist low- and middle-income residents through the process of determining the tax credits that they are eligible for, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Last year’s program volunteers filed 2,291 tax returns, resulting in more than $2.8 million in tax refunds back into the community.

Eligible low-income working families may be entitled to up to $6,269 in tax refunds with the EITC, but the IRS reports that one in five workers fail to claim the EITC they earned. In 2015, more 430 local taxpayers were able to receive the EITC through Beaverton’s tax assistance program, which meant additional money back that they can use for groceries, rent, and other bills.

CASH Oregon and AARP Tax-Aide provide free tax preparation and filing to thousands of low- and middle-income families and individuals throughout the Portland metro area. The partnership provides a city-sponsored site at the Beaverton Activities Center from Jan. 31 to April 15. For additional tax preparation sites, call 211 or visit www.CASHOregon.org.

Tax assistance will be offered in Beaverton from Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a walk-in basis only. Assistance will be offered in English, Spanish, and several other languages.

What to bring for tax assistance:

• Picture identification
• Copy of last year’s tax return, if available
• Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for all persons on return
• Form W-2 from every employer
• Other forms and receipts, such as 1099s from bank
• Child and dependent care information
• Health insurance documentation: Form 1095-A, if you or anyone on your tax return had coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace

For more information, visit www.BeavertonOregon.gov/taxprep.

The above content and photo are courtesy of the City of Beaverton.