04/12/09: Erie County Offers Tax Tips and Free Help for Last Minute Filers

Original YNN Buffalo Air Date: 04/12/09
Buffalo’s Karen Brockhurst is a retired snowbird who splits her time between the empire state and Florida. With dual-residency and a fixed income Brockhurst decided to get help with her last minute tax returns. She is one of thousands of Western New Yorkers getting last night tax help from Erie County.
“There’s so many changes going on right now and i don’t know. You know I’m not too good on the computer. I thought about doing Turbo Tax, but I’m not that great on the computer,” said Karen Brockhurst
Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers’ Greenard Poles helps people file their taxes for free at the Hope Center in the Tri-Main building on Main Street. Poles says more people are falling on tough financial times and can’t afford services.
“Those people who went to paper prepares in the past are not able or not choosing to go to paper prepares because of their economic situation,” said Greenard Poles.
Tax preparers say it’s important to collect every penny you’ve earned.
“Things like the earned income tax credit, child independent tax credit, education tax credits. Anything that they’re eligible to receive. We want to make sure that they are getting those dollars because they’ve done the work to earn them,” said United Way Buffalo’s Diane Bessel
There are 13 free tax preparation locations around Erie County. You can also dial #211 for tax tips and help. you must make under $53,000 to qualify. Last year the program helped 11,300 people file their taxes.
They’ve funneled more than $40-million in tax credits and refunds into Erie County during the past three years.
Helping people like Brockhurst who need every red cent to survive.
“As a retired senior I’m on a fixed income, so the fees and everything that they charge are just outrageous,” said Brockhurst