The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and anti-poverty agencies like CAAS, the Community Action Agency of Somerville, are teaming up to spread word regarding the EITC. You can find FREE tax filing assistance to help you access those credits.

CAAS encourages you to make an appointment with National Student Partnerships (NSP) to file for your EITC and Child Tax Credit. NSP is an organization dedicated to combating poverty in our nation's communities by engaging college students in this effort. To sign up for free tax preparation from NSP, call the Somerville office at (617) 591-9400, or the Cambridge office at (617) 349-6342.

Volunteers will prepare federal and state income tax returns and provide free, confidential tax preparation services at The Family Center, located at 366 Somerville Avenue in Somerville, and at the Cambridge Multi-Service Center, located at 19 Brookline Street in Cambridge. Tax services will be provided from January 26 through April 15 by appointment only. NSP volunteers will file your tax returns electronically, shortening your wait to receive refunds.

If you are a working family-single or married-with two or more children, and your family earned less than $41,646 in 2008, you may be eligible for up to $5,548 in federal and state credits. A family with one child, earning less than $36,995, is eligible for up to $3,355. A single person or married couple without children who earned less than $15,880 is eligible for $504. Use the FREE EITC tax preparation sites, get your refund in seven to ten days, and keep your money! You earned it!

The mission of CAAS is to reduce poverty among local families and individuals while working to counteract, and whenever possible eliminate, the societal conditions that cause and perpetuate poverty. For more information about CAAS, see www.caasomerville.org.