The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program is a refundable tax credit available to individuals and families earning less than $49,000 in 2009. This is the federal government's largest anti-poverty measure and can be up to $5,657 depending on income and family type.

The "Earn It, Keep It, Save It" program is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that recruits volunteer tax preparers as well as interpreters, screeners, and greeters and offers free preparation of federal and state income tax returns to taxpayers with low incomes. VITA benefits these taxpayers in two basic ways. First, by eliminating the cost of commercial tax return preparation, and secondly, it secures valuable tax credits such as the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

The VITA location sites are as follows:
Santa Paula - Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center/(805) 933-8442
City of Ventura - Housing Authority/(805) 648-5008; Ventura Job & Career Center/(805) 648-9303
East County - East County Job & Career Center/(805) 955-2287
Oxnard - El Concilio Del Condado de Ventura/(805) 487-9777
West Oxnard Job and Career Center/(805) 382-6551
City of Oxnard Housing Authority/(805) 385-8089

VITA's "Earn It, Keep It, Save It" program is a community initiative led by the Business and Employment Services Department of the Ventura County Human Services Agency, United Way of Ventura County, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, and the IRS. The Partnership has been spreading the word about the EITC Program and the availability of free help with tax preparation.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE OXNARD MEGA TAX DAY (Feb. 20, 2010)

VITA flyer (PDF)

Click on the logo to self-file your state and federal taxes online!

Individuals who need more information should contact (805) 485-6288, ext. 226.
For more information about the Earned Income Tax Credit Program, please visit www.irs.gov.