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March: Tax Season

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

For over twenty years, Center for Family Life has been providing free tax-filing assistance to our neighbors in Sunset Park via the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and our usually busy tax season hasn’t shown any signs of slowing!

As a VITA site, CFL has certified volunteer and staff tax preparers on hand to assist those who are eligible for VITA in filing their taxes.

Juan Obando, CFL’s VITA Tax Manager, conducts extensive outreach each year to recruit volunteer tax preparers. In addition to recruiting via NYC Service and NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, Juan and his tax team have successfully secured partnerships with Fordham University, Kingsborough Community College, NY Cares, and Royal Business Bank to solicit volunteers. All volunteers receive thorough tax-preparation trainings and must acquire their official IRS Tax Certification before working as tax preparers.

 

A client with Juan Obando

This year, we’ve been lucky to have fifty-seven tax preparers support us in filing nearly three thousand returns, yielding over four million dollars in refunds! Thank you to all our CFL staff and volunteers who help make this program possible. The funds our neighbors receive in returns can be crucial for them to make rent, pay bills, or buy groceries.

A tax preparer working with a client

Indeed, Juan has emphasized it is the ability to “help someone get the most money in a year, and hearing [our clients’] stories” which has been the most meaningful to him in his two decades of providing tax-free filing assistance professionally.

If you qualify for free tax preparation, we encourage you to make an appointment with us. More information on eligibility and appointments is outlined below.

Alternatively, if you have the means and are able to support our tax-filing assistance program, please consider donating to Center for Family Life today.

 

Interested in making an appointment?

In 2024, if your income was up to $65,000 as an individual — or up to $93,000 as a family — you are eligible for free tax filing services.

Appointments are available at CFL’s main office from 11am to 7pm on Mondays through Fridays, as well as on Saturdays from 9am to 4pm.

An appointment can also be made at our partner NYU Langone location — which is located on Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park — on Tuesdays through Thursdays between 12pm and 7pm.

Make an appointment with us today at either Center for Family Life’s main office or at our NYU Langone location. 

 
Filing and Self-Employed?

If you work for yourself as a freelancer, gig worker, or small business owner, you need to file taxes annually and make estimated payments quarterly.

Our tax preparers through our Self-Employed Tax Program (SETP) are here to help; book an appointment with someone from our team today.

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October: Self-Employed Tax Program

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

Center for Family Life’s Self-Employed Tax Program (SETP) was proud to present at the annual Prosperity Summit in Washington DC. This prestigious event unites thousands of professionals who are dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a clear path to financial stability, wealth, and prosperity. Our SETP staff were invited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) to share our experience providing professional tax services to self-employed workers.

Our presentation highlighted key challenges that our community faces when going through the tax filing process, including financial constraints, language barriers, lack of understanding of tax obligations, insufficient knowledge of record-keeping and income tracking, distrust of government agencies, and the need for a filing history to access credit and capital for business growth. To address these challenges, the SETP offers free professional tax preparation, consultations, and workshops to low-income communities in Brooklyn. Last year, our SETP hosted 15 workshops, filed over 400 tax returns, and saved over $246,000 in service fees for clients.

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To ensure these services reach those who need them the most, the SETP relies on a network of community outreach efforts, including partnerships with other community-based organizations, referrals from the IRS, and word of mouth. With services available in English, Spanish, Urdu, and Bengali, the SETP is committed to bridging the communication gap and building trust within diverse communities. 

An SETP Impact Story (name changed for client confidentiality): 

After newly arriving to the United States, a housekeeper named Maria faced challenges filing her taxes for the first time. With limited English proficiency and little understanding of tax compliance, she was unsure how to navigate this unfamiliar and convoluted system. Maria was grateful to work with the SETP in her native language, and to receive assistance preparing and filing her 2023 tax return. She was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was eligible for refunds from both the IRS and the state of New York, and she feels confident that she will meet her tax obligations now that she has the knowledge and tools to track her income.

By providing free reliable and professional tax services, the SETP empowers individuals to build a strong financial foundation, paving the way for economic growth and sustainability in our communities. If you or someone you know is self-employed and could benefit from these free services, we encourage you to make an appointment with the SETP by calling 718-438-9500 or by visiting us at our Main Office.

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February: Taxes

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

Here at Center for Family Life, we continue our decades-long commitment to providing professional VITA tax filing services to thousands of clients in our community and beyond! These services, which are generously funded by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and NYU Langone, are crucial for the low-income families that we serve. Certified tax preparers guide clients through the complicated tax filing process, alleviating the stress associated with filing and ensuring that all filers get their full refund. The returns that families receive from filing their taxes have a huge impact on the household resources available to families to meet basic needs and have a significant positive economic benefit to our community as a whole. We are proud that last year our VITA Tax Filing Program helped file over 3,720 returns, yielding a total refund amount of $4,406,719!

This year we are excited to offer free VITA tax filing services at two sites in Brooklyn! Appointments are available five days per week at our main office and three days per week at the NYU Langone, Brooklyn Family Support Center, our community partners. Those that qualify for our services include single filers with incomes of $59,000 or less in 2023 as well as families with incomes of $85,000 or less in 2023. We make the process as easy and efficient as possible to save our clients time and money!

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A Client Story:

Sophia (named changed to protect her confidentiality) traveled to Sunset Park for our free tax prep services for the first time this year. She has often paid over $150 in fees to prepare her taxes, but decided to make an appointment at CFL after learning about the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s Free Tax Prep Program from a co-worker. Sophia was so grateful to receive free tax filing assistance from a trusted and certified filer, allowing her to put the money she would have spent on tax filing assistance into her savings and towards a greater financial goal.

A Reflection from a Volunteer:

“I would like to acknowledge the herculean efforts of Victor, from the CFL tax program. He is patient and professional in his dealings with me. What a pro! Most importantly, he cares about the clients. Last Thursday, he graciously handled a multi-year return for an older adult who at times seemed confused. Yesterday, he helped a head-of-house mother who is also a graduate student. Thanks to his hard work, this person may receive an impressive return. It’s a joy coming to the office and working with your staff. They care about the clients and selflessly help them.”

In addition to our VITA Tax Prep Program, we also have a Self-Employed Tax Prep Program (SETP) which offers year-round service for small business owners, gig workers and freelancers. Through this program, we offer free resources including specialized tax prep, workshops and group sessions, one-on-one consultations, toolkits and more! Appointments are available five days per week at our main office and are completely free of charge. These services are essential as self-employed individuals often struggle to keep financial records and file their taxes accurately and on time.

Our VITA and SETP tax teams work hard each day to ensure that individuals in our community are aware of the services that we offer and that they receive the best care possible when working with our staff. We are incredibly grateful to DCWP, the IRS and NYU Langone for funding these programs and are so glad that we can help bring financial resources back to our community!

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February: Free Tax Preparation Program Open For 2021 season!

by Economic Well-being ProgramsNews and Events

We are excited to be offering tax filing services in a hybrid virtual/in-person model through April 15! We believe that everyone in our community should be able to file their taxes for free, in a safe, secure, and welcoming environment. Center for Family Life’s Community Services Program provides a tax preparation service that feels like one big family—all working together to manage what is often an anxious time for our neighbors: tax time! Local residents can make an appointment to receive the help they need in English or Spanish (or other languages with the support of translators), and our friendly and approachable staff will guide them
through every step of the process.

Here at the Center, we know that financial stressors and economic insecurity underpin many of the challenges and difficulties families face. Receiving a tax refund can make all the difference for neighborhood families, and provide the opportunity for increased financial stability. Tax refunds often sustain those who are striving to manage debt, save for future family goals, or engage in community life. In addition, our tax filing program returns literally millions of dollars to Sunset Park each year, as many refunds are spent locally. We are proud to contribute to a valuable cycle in which residents invest in local businesses and services, and in turn, build community strength and resilience.

Drop-off service is available by appointment only. To book an appointment, go
to http://bit.ly/cfl-tax
Appointments are available during the following days/times:
Tuesday–Thursday: 11 am–6 pm
Friday: 10 am–5 pm
Saturday: 9 am–4 pm.
Please call 929-480-7175 for additional information.