Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Annual Tax Prep Services Available for Residents

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Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Tax Help Coalition (BTHC), Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), and other community partners today announced that eligible Boston residents are now able to take advantage of the City's free tax preparation service. An annual program, residents earning $70,000 or less annually can file safely while maximizing their refunds and credits through the assistance from the City of Boston at one of over 30 neighborhood tax sites across Boston. The Tax Help Coalition assists residents with free tax preparation, financial education and economic stability opportunities. The tax filing assistance service is available remotely and in person, and interpretation is available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, French, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Cantonese. This announcement was made last week by the Chief of Worker Empowerment Cabinet Trinh Nguyen, Chief of Community Engagement Brianna Millor, ABCD President and CEO, Sharon Scott-Chandler, Esq., and Boston Tax Help Coalition Assistant Deputy Director Brian Robinson at a kick-off event at ABCD's Downtown headquarters.

"Boston residents can save hundreds of dollars per household through the Boston Tax Help Coalition's free tax preparation," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "These free, multilingual tax assistance services are available at over 30 neighborhood locations and serve as a critical resource that supports thousands of Boston residents every year in maximizing their refunds safely. I encourage every eligible Boston resident to participate and take advantage of this valuable resource."

Part of the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, the Boston Tax Help Coalition's free tax preparation service gives Boston's low-to-moderate income (LMI) residents a financial boost by eliminating predatory, for-profit, tax preparation fees and helping them to keep more of their earned income. Since its founding in 2001, BTHC has served nearly 227,000 households with free tax preparation and returned over $400 million in tax credits and refunds directly to residents. BTHC clients have an average income of $30,000 and this service can provide a substantial financial boost.

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"The free tax preparation service is a critical wealth-building tool that returns millions in refunds and credits to Boston's workers and working families," said Chief of Worker Empowerment Trinh Nguyen. "This financial cushion can go a long way for Boston's households. We're incredibly grateful to our community partners and the hundreds of IRS-certified volunteers who make this important work possible."

"Every dollar is significant for each individual and family living in our city," said Brianna Millor, Chief of the Community Engagement Cabinet. "We encourage residents earning $70,000 or less to take advantage of the Boston Tax Help Coalition's free tax preparation and filing services to help alleviate their financial burden. We are grateful to our community partners for helping Boston residents access free tax preparation and financial services."

Additionally, the BTHC IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers assess filers' eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a credit for low-and middle-income workers. This year marks the 50th anniversary of EITC and its significant role in supporting working families by reducing poverty. In 2024, EITC averaged $2,743 for residents. Despite this, according to the Internal Revenue Service, an estimated one in five EITC-eligible workers fail to claim this valuable credit each year.

In 2024, more than 330 BTHC volunteers prepared tax returns for over 12,000 taxpayers, generating $22.7 million in tax refunds, including $7.3 million in EITC credits. The Boston Tax Help Coalition relies on and values the partnership of its member organizations to continue to promote the economic independence of working individuals and families.

"ABCD is proud to be a co-founder of the Boston Tax Help Coalition, and we are pleased to host the 2025 Boston Tax Help Coalition kick-off event with our partners," said ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. "EITC is a tax deduction that returns money to hardworking families and communities. It is one of America's most effective anti-poverty initiatives. As critical members of the Boston Tax Help Coalition, our IRS-certified tax preparers ensure that residents receive every tax relief measure possible which allows them to build up a much-needed savings or reduce debt on current expenses."

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The Boston Tax Help Coalition prioritizes providing reasonable accommodations to taxpayers with disabilities at all tax sites. Moreover, the BTHC will continue its partnership with DEAF, Inc. to provide dedicated service days to visually and hearing-impaired residents every Sunday, February 3 - April 13, 2025, at the Charlesview Community Center, 123 Antwerp Street Ext., Brighton, MA 02135. More information can be found at boston.gov/disability-tax-help.

Going beyond tax preparation, the Boston Tax Help Coalition connects residents to free, comprehensive financial and asset-building services to improve their economic well-being. Four tax sites, DotHouse Health, Codman Square Health Center, Urban Edge, and the Center for Working Families, will offer clients a free Financial Check-Up (FCU), a credit advising session with a trained Financial Guide to assist them in understanding their current financial situation, including a review of their credit report and FICO score,  personalized one-year plan to help improve their credit, and relevant service referrals. According to research conducted at BTHC tax sites by Dr. Scott Nelson, formerly of MIT, taxpayers who participated in the FCU improved their FICO scores by an average of 15.5 points in less than one year. The BTHC provided credit advising and financial education to 1,200 tax clients in 2024.

More information on the Boston Tax Help Coalition's free tax services, including the 2025 tax sites, can be found at boston.gov/tax-help.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR WORKING FAMILIES

Led by the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, the Center for Working Families (CWF) aims to address racial wealth disparities and connect City residents with access to credit-building programs, financial education, individualized financial coaching, and income support. Residents who seek to improve their financial stability can use these free programs to achieve economic well-being.

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