United Way of Southern Nevada offers aid to last-minute tax filers

Families in the area still have a few days to take advantage of the free tax preparation service being offered by United Way of Southern Nevada.

Families that earned less than $51,000 in 2012 are eligible for the free service. The nonprofit, with community partners, has more than 37 sites in the area, said Vanessa Maniago, vice president for branding and marketing with United Way of Southern Nevada. Many of the sites will be open today and Monday.

People need to present a valid identification and need to provide Social Security cards for a spouse and dependents, with tax documents from last year, said Ana Wood, who oversees the free tax preparation program at United Way.

“Some people wait till the last minute,” Wood said.

Many of the families could be eligible for an Earned Income Tax Credit of up to $6,000, Maniago said, but they often are not aware.

“Lots of dollars go unclaimed every year,” she added.

Last year, United Way aided 5,641 individuals and families with their tax preparation. Of those families, more than 1,428 qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit, totaling about
$2.5 million, Wood said.

This year, it has helped 5,278 file electronically, Wood said, and some 1,349 have qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit .

United Way is expected to surpass the number of families that it helped last year, Wood said, and the number of families and individuals that have qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

More than 200 Internal Revenue Service-certified volunteers do the free tax preparation throughout the more than 37 sites, Maniago said.

Contact Yesenia Amaro at yamaro@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0440.