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BLOG: Free Tax Prep For Some PA Residents

By Jim Donovan: Just a friendly reminder that you have a few extra days to file your federal tax return. The deadline date is Monday, April 18. The extension is due to the fact that April 15th is Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia. (for the history see below).

If you live in Philadelphia and haven't yet completed your return, The Campaign for Working Families may be able to help. The Campaign operates 11 free tax sites in Center City, South Philadelphia, West and Southwest Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia, Germantown and Olney. Some sites have Spanish speaking staff available. The free tax prep service is available to families earning less than $50,000 a year or individuals earning less than $25,000.

The Campaign files both federal and PA state income taxes and strives to insure that working people take full advantage of public benefits available to them including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable tax credit for low-wage earners.

To see where the free tax prep sites are located visit:

http://www.phillyfreetaxes.com/services/findtaxsite.asp

By the way, Emancipation Day marks the anniversary of the day that President Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act. The Act, which was "for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia," freed 3,100 slaves in the District, making DC residents the "first freed" by the federal government. In 2005, Emancipation Day was made an official public holiday in the District of Columbia.

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