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ACORN Opens Free Tax Prep Sites in 45 Cities

January 27, 2005
ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is opening free tax preparation centers in 45 cities around the U.S. that will help low- and moderate-income families file their taxes and receive their refunds quickly. ACORN is also stepping up its campaign against rapid refund loans.

ACORN said it expects to help thousands of low-income families file their taxes and claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and child tax credits that they have earned.

Organized in partnership with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, the ACORN Free Tax Preparation Centers can electronically file current year taxes and provide fast refunds for those taxpayers who would like their refunds direct-deposited into their bank account, usually in as few as ten days.

The ACORN Free Tax Preparation Centers will also help more low-income families claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) through door-to-door outreach in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The EITC, which can provide families with up to $4,300 in tax credits each year, is the federal government’s most successful antipoverty program.

“Almost a quarter of all EITC eligible families do not claim their credit every year – amounting to more than 7 million families who could be missing out on over $12 billion in tax benefits. We are out to change that,” said ACORN National President Maude Hurd.

For locations of ACORN Free Tax Preparation Centers, see www.taxprep.acorn.org.

Refund Loans

H&R Block and ACORN are launching a partnership that will include: outreach in 65 cities to educate families that they may be eligible for the EITC; enhanced disclosure to customers by H&R Block about the costs and speed of refund options; and elimination of the systems administration fee connected with refund loans sold by H&R Block.

Since last tax season ACORN has been engaged in an aggressive campaign to force Jackson-Hewitt, the nation's second largest tax preparer, to improve its practices related to sales of refund loans and other high-cost bank products. The campaign has involved protests, picketing and flyering in front of Jackson-Hewitt offices throughout the country.

On January 11, ACORN announced that it was suspending protests because Jackson-Hewitt had entered into serious negotiations with ACORN. The company has already agreed to eliminate the application fees they charge customers for a RAL and other products in 50 of its markets starting this tax season, and in all of its markets the company has improved the disclosures they give customers.

ACORN has launched launched a campaign aimed at Liberty Tax, the third largest tax preparer in the country. Liberty Tax has 1800 offices in 48 states and Canada, and is the fastest growing tax service ever – with annual revenues rising from $6.4 million in 2001 to $42.4 million in 2004.

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