United Way Tax Program Saves Working RIers $12.8 Million

United Way Tax Program Saves Working RIers $12.8 Million

The dollars are adding up.

For a sixth year, the United Way of Rhode Island conducted a highly successful VITA Site/Earned Income Tax Credit Initiative, and released figures late this week announcing nearly $13 million in savings for working RI families.

Solid help for working families

The goal for this program is to ensure that working Rhode Islanders earning less than $49,000 annually could access efficient and free tax services and receive the money they were due in refunds and tax credits. The program accomplished this by funding and working with volunteer income tax preparation (VITA) sites and by offering financial literacy training for those interested. The statewide Initiative grew more than 30% from last year to this year - more than 400 % growth from the year since the UWRI got involved. In the tax year prior to United Way's involvement, approximately $2 million was returned to individuals. Six tax seasons later, the return of more than $12.8 million represents an increase of over 400%.

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Real accountability

This $197,000 Initiative has been, by all accounts, very successful. The Initiative and its major partners, including Domestic Bank, Citizens Bank, the RI Department of Human Services and the IRS have received positive recognition from the media and community officials for the impact on our community.  And recently, the Initiative was selected by the United Way of America to receive an additional $15,000 grant from Wal-Mart Foundation.