United Way makes it easier for people to get free tax prep help, generating cash for working people.

Each year, United Way Monterey County and its small army of volunteers assist thousands of low-income residents with completing their tax returns for free through the program VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). Last year, they helped 2,600 people file their 2017 returns with an average refund of $1,640, totaling $4.2 million flowing back into the county.

Now United Way is making the process easier in an effort to help more people who earned $55,000 or less in 2018 get money back, with texts, online software, appointments and a drop-off/pick-up service, says President/CEO Katy Castagna. (People who made up to $66,000 have access to free help online using myfreetaxes.org.)

New this year is the ability to text “mcfreetaxprep” to 898-211 for a series of links to tax prep locations, days and hours of operation, and other information. VITA is also offering the ability to make appointments – in the past visiting the locations has been on a first-come-first-serve basis – by dialing the information service 2-1-1. People can still show up to any one of 11 locations throughout the county for drop-in help.

United Way also added a drop-off location at its Salinas office 9am-4pm, Monday through Thursday, at 307 S. Main St., Suite 100. Participants can drop off all the necessary documents, and a volunteer prepares tax forms for pickup.

The agency is assisting those who make up to $25,000 to receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit, a bonus of up to $6,500 on top of a tax refund to use however is needed. Castagna says the $4.1 million that Monterey County residents received in refunds had an important impact by providing a stimulus worth $6.2 million.

“It’s a big economic engine,” she says. “It provides very tangible assistance to people.”

For information about VITA, visit unitedwaymcca.org/freetaxprep