Public Advocate’s Guide to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Free Tax Preparation Services in New York City - March 2005

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by iuabcfuw

Guide from the Public Advocate for the City of New York explaining the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and free tax preparation resources across New York City. Describes eligibility rules for federal, state, and city EITC, including income thresholds tied to filing status and qualifying children, plus required documentation to file for 2004 taxes. Provides tax assistance site types (VITA and TCE) and a borough-by-borough directory of free sites with practical steps to confirm services and schedule visits.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Types of Free Tax Assistance in New York City

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites (VITA)

Tax Counseling for the Elderly Sites (TCE)

Are You Eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit?

Checklist: What to Bring When Filing for the EITC

Free Tax Assistance Sites in New York City

Bronx

Brooklyn

Manhattan

Queens

Staten Island

The Public Advocate for the City of New York Betsy Gotbaum Public Advocate Public Advocate’s Guide to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Free Tax Preparation Services in New York City Guía de Información de La Defensora Pública Acerca del Crédito Tributario por Ingreso del Trabajo (EITC) Y Servicios Gratuitos de Preparación de Impuestos en La Ciudad de Nueva York March 2005 1 Centre Street 15th Floor North New York, NY 10007 Tel. (212) 669.7200 Fax (212) 669.4091 Public Advocate for the City of New York Betsy Gotbaum Public Advocate PREPARED BY: Jill E. Sheppard Director of Policy and Research Mark A. Woltman, MSW Policy Research Associate Laurel Tumarkin, Esq. Policy Research Associate TRANSLATION BY: Iris Perez WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF: Deborah Oriscak Christine Constantinople Margaret E. Yolen Peter Hitt Jennie Peng Ashley Leonce Interns SPECIAL THANKS TO: Elba Feliciano Director of Administration Scott Gastel Assistant Press Secretary TABLE OF CONTENTS Pg. Types of Free Tax Assistance in New York City ……………………………...…4 Are You Eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit?…………………………...5 Checklist: What to Bring When Filing for the EITC…..………….………………6 En Español……………………………………………………………………………7-9 Tipos de Ayuda Gratuita Para Declaracion de Impuestos en la Ciudad….....7 ¿Califica para el Crédito por Ingreso de Trabajo (EITC)?................................8 Lista de Verificación: Documentos Necesarios para el Crédito EITC……....9 Free Tax Assistance Sites in New York City………………………………...10-27 Bronx……………………………………………………...……………………10 Brooklyn………………………………………………..……………………...14 Manhattan…………………………………………………………………...…18 Queens………………………………………………………………………....22 Staten Island……………………..……………………………………………27 Types of Free Tax Assistance in New York City Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites (VITA)1 - In general, VITA sites offer free volunteer-based tax assistance for working families who make less than $40,000 per year and individuals who make less than $20,000 per year; A few sites listed below have different requirements. Be sure to double check with the VITA site of your choice before showing up; - All volunteers are trained by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); - All sites should have tax experts on hand, such as CPA’s. Tax Counseling for the Elderly Sites (TCE)2 - TCE sites provide free tax assistance for people ages 60 and older; - Some sites listed below may have different age or certain income requirements for utilizing their service. Be sure to double check with the TCE site of your choice before showing up. - Volunteers provide free tax counseling and basic income tax preparation for senior citizens; - All volunteers are trained by the IRS; - All sites should have tax experts on hand, such as CPA’s. 1 United States Internal Revenue Service, [http://www.irs.gov](http://www.irs.gov)[ ](http://www.irs.gov)2 Ibid. Are You Eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit? The Federal, State and New York City governments each offer EITC to qualified workers. Luckily, if you are eligible for the Federal EITC you are eligible for all three Earned Income Tax Credits. By applying for all three of these credits, you can receive up to $5,800 back when you file your taxes! Your eligibility and amount of return depend on several factors such as your filing status, income level, and the number of qualifying children or dependents you claim. Both families and individuals are eligible to receive the EITC. To be eligible to receive the EITC you must: 1. Have worked at some time in 2004, 2. File your taxes for income earned in 2004, 3. Have a Social Security Number or a taxpayer ID number. Income requirements3 : -Families or individuals earning less than $11,490 ($12,490 for married filing jointly) with no children may receive up to $527. -Families earning less than $30,338 ($31,338 for married filing jointly) with one child may receive up to $3,515

FAQs

What are the main types of free tax assistance sites in New York City mentioned in the guide?

The guide lists Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. It describes who each site serves and what to expect when visiting.

What requirements must someone meet to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for the taxes described?

Eligibility requires having worked at some time in 2004, filing taxes for income earned in 2004, and having a Social Security Number or a taxpayer ID number. The guide also ties potential credit amounts to income level, filing status, and qualifying children.

What documents should you bring when filing for the EITC at a free tax service?

Bring photo identification, a Social Security card or taxpayer ID number, W-2 forms for jobs held in 2004, and other applicable 2004 tax documents. The guide also notes bringing federal and state tax returns for 2003 if available, plus optional bank account information for e-filing with direct deposit.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by iuabcfuw