United Way extends its offer of free tax help on Tax Day, April 15.

Tick, tock. The clock is ticking because taxes are due Monday, April 15. For those who waited to the last minute and made less than $55,000 in 2018, there is extended free help with a trained volunteer tax preparer. Those who made less than $66,000 can access free online help.

United Way Monterey County is offering extra hours of its tax preparation service, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program known as VITA, on Tax Day.

Two Salinas locations will have extended hours on Monday: CET Salinas at 24 E. Alvin Drive, from 5:30-8:30pm; and the United Way office at 307 S. Main St., from 8am-8pm. Online there is free tax help at myfreetaxes.com.

More information is available at unitedwaymcca.org/freetaxprep, or by calling 211 or by texting “myfreetaxprep” to 898-211.

Last year, the VITA program helped 2,600 people file their 2017 returns with an average refund of $1,640, totaling $4.2 million flowing back into Monterey County.