gain

Since 2002, the Growing Assets and Income Now (GAIN) Coalition has led the efforts of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, which provides free tax preparation services to low to-moderate income households in Salt Lake and Tooele counties. Our goal is not only to create and sustain essential community services and stabilize the financial situation of low- to moderate-income households, but to distribute the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax credits to which our community households are entitled. EITC, America's largest anti-poverty initiative, essentially provides an incentive for families to work, by creating an opportunity to increase the effective wage of qualifying workers at tax time.

GAIN encourages the use of VITA services in place of commercial tax preparation services that can charge exorbitant fees and aggressively market "rapid refund" loans with triple digit interest rates. The coalition is consistently innovating new ideas and partnerships to offer savings and asset-building opportunities to our clients, including savings bonds.

IRS-certified volunteers receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in their community, including itemization and small business returns (C-EZ). E-filing is available at all VITA sites in Salt Lake and Tooele counties. This allows for a quick receipt of refund to filers, approximately 8-15 days, reducing the likelihood clients will use predatory loan services.

Contact Casey Christoffersen to become a member of GAIN or join our mailing list. To volunteer click here.

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