BronxWorks, Food Bank of New York and Ariva Offer Free Tax Services

If you meet the income criteria, free tax preparation might be available. Please do see the e-mail sent by BronxWorks.

Gregory

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In these tough times, a free way to prepare and file your taxes is especially important. So take advantage of the free tax services offered at the BronxWorks Morris Innovative Senior Center (ISC) at 80 East 181st Street by the Food Bank of New York or Ariva at the CheckSpring Bank building at 69 East 167th Street. The qualifying income cap is $18,000 for individuals and $50,000 for families.

Hundreds of people used the services last year, according to Evelyn Rodriquez, director of BronxWorks’ Access to Benefits program. The BronxWorks Morris ISC was one of the busiest free income tax prep sites in New York City in 2011 and demand this year is expected to be even higher.

“Through our partnership with the Food Bank and referrals to organizations like Ariva, we can offer thousands of low-income Bronx residents access to high quality, credible, and highly skilled tax preparers,” says BronxWorks development director Ken Small. “These are the best alternatives to for-pay services that often steer low-income individuals or families into taking refund anticipation loans, which can cause folks to lose as much as a quarter of their refunds.”

Mr. Small noted that taxes at the BronxWorks Morris ISC or Ariva are filed electronically. Refunds are received within two weeks in most cases. They can be placed directly into bank accounts, which eliminates the need to receive a check in the mail. “These services are all about making things convenient,” he says.

In addition to tax prep help, Ariva offers financial counseling and information on asset building. For more information on their services, please call (718) 292-2983 . To learn more about tax prep services at the Morris ISC, call (718) 933-5300 .

BronxWorks Morris Innovative Senior Center tax prep hours:Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ariva headquarters tax prep hours: Monday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

What to bring: Photo identification, Social Security card, W-2 forms from all jobs, documentation for child care credits, and any other tax documents. If married couples are filing jointly, both must be present.