United Way provides access to free financial resources to de-stress this tax season and beyond

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As part of its efforts to increase broad-based economic growth and financial stability in communities across the country, United Way provides a suite of resources to help people everywhere achieve their financial goals.

"Every person in every community deserves the opportunity to improve their finances, boost their job prospects and improve their economic status," said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. "United Way is determined to help more people become financially stable by providing them with the education and tools they need to get ahead and provide for themselves and their families."

United Way offers the following free - and easy - financial management resources:

MySmartMoney United Way and the Sun Trust Foundation launched MySmartMoney, a website that offers useful tips and tools to help people better manage their money, regardless of their income level or financial circumstances. The website walks users through simple, concrete steps for tackling real-life scenarios, including saving for college, providing for a family, planning for a retirement, and caring for aging family members.

Free Tax Filing:

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA): United Way Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) centers offer free in-person tax preparation across hundreds of communities for qualifying individuals, generally those who made less than $54,000 in 2016. Find a VITA center new you by clicking here.
• MyFreeTaxes: United Way operates and manages MyFreeTaxes, a resource powered by H&R Block, that provides free federal and state tax preparation online to qualifying individuals (those making $64,000 or less in 2016) in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Follow this link to visit the site, and file your taxes, at any time, day or night: MyFreeTaxes. 
  Fact: Since 2009, these in-person and online options have helped millions of Americans receive more than $10 billion in tax refunds and save over $2 billion in tax preparation fees, largely by connecting tax payers to the credits they deserve such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) which is available to qualifying individuals and couples, particularly those with children.

2-1-1 – When people don't know where to turn, they can dial 2-1-1, a telephone helpline and website that connects people across the United States and Canada to essential health and human services. In 2015, 2-1-1 agents answered more than 14 million calls, connecting people to the help they need with housing, healthcare, employment, legal aid, education, disaster services, and more. The confidential service is accessible 24/7 and available in more than 180 languages.

Financial Education and Coaching – As many as 400 United Ways support free, un-biased financial education and coaching to help individuals and families manage their money, decrease their debt, and improve their credit. These programs are outcome-oriented and yield positive results. For example, since 2012, Wells Fargo has supported the financial coaching efforts of eight United Ways, who have helped more than 20,000 low-income families get on more solid financial ground.

Job Training – Economic success depends on the ability to get a good-paying job with the possibility for promotion, which is why United Way supports strategic initiatives to train and place individuals in in-demand jobs. One such initiative is Partners for a Competitive Workforce (PCW), managed by United Way of Greater Cincinnati, which has trained more than 10,000 people since 2008. Seventy-eight percent of those people obtained employment.

Learn more about United Way Worldwide's financial stability work at www.unitedway.org.

About United Way Worldwide
United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.8 million volunteers, 9.8 million donors worldwide, and more than $4.7 billion raised every year, United Way is the world's largest privately-funded nonprofit. We're engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org. Follow us on Twitter: @UnitedWay and #LiveUnited.

Media Contact
Southerlyn Worsham
703-836-7100 x321
[email protected]

SOURCE United Way Worldwide

Related Links

http://www.unitedway.org