Even thousands of families can benefit from this credit. / photo: Archive.
Foto:
Tim Boyle / Getty Images
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California working families still have time to file their taxes and take advantage of the tax credits that allow them to get up to $ 4,200.
As part of our collaboration with the United Ways of California and the United Way of Kern County, we had the opportunity to help Angela Ochoa file her tax return this year. Angela is alone raising her two children, and has two jobs to make ends meet.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, she worked and helped children with their homework, but it was not easy for her to take care of everything.
After filing her tax return, she received $ 2,553 in California Earned Income Tax Credits (CalEITC), which added to other federal and state tax credits allowed her to pay the down payment to buy her first home.
Currently, there are half a million working families in California that have yet to apply for the $ 220 million credits that the State of California provides through CalEITC and Golden State Stimulus.
We encourage everyone to apply for the credits these programs offer, as they can be of great help to low-income workers such as dishwashers and janitors.
The CalEITC program offers from $ 243 to up to more than $ 3,000 and is available to all families with incomes under $ 30,000.
Additionally, the credit is available to anyone who has a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
CalEITC eligible individuals can apply for and receive funds up to four years ago.
The Golden State Stimulus program is a one-time payment of $ 600 or $ 1,200 for each tax return, available to anyone with income under $ 75,000, and is also available to taxpayers who file their taxes through an ITIN.
The deadline to apply for the Golden State Stimulus credit is much shorter than that of the program
CalEITC: Eligible families must apply by October 15, 2021.
For this reason, we recommend that families file their tax returns as soon as possible so that they can grant them the credits they deserve and for which they have worked so hard.
While ITIN taxpayers did not receive assistance through federal COVID-19 relief packages, California is helping to close that gap by offering the Golden State Stimulus and CalEITC programs to all eligible applicants, regardless of immigration status.
For this reason, ITIN taxpayers can submit their application with confidence, as it will not represent a “public charge” when submitting a visa application or a work permit (Green Card).
Workers with income less than $ 66,000 in 2020 are eligible to file their tax return free of charge by entering myfreetaxes.org . On this website you can find a place to file the declaration near your home, or declaring on your own online with a free program.
In addition, individuals and families who submit an application with ITIN can consult the guide in case your ITIN is expired or if you need help to renew it or request a new one.
For Angela, it was a great relief to get her tax credit, and these credits can help many families like yours across the state pay for medical bills, rent, utilities and more. That is why we recommend eligible families to file the tax return as soon as possible, because this money corresponds to them, they worked to obtain it.
Sandoval is Senior Director of Programs at United Ways of California, and Pérez-Dowling is President and CEO of United Way of Kern County.
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