Irvine, CA (June 27, 2023) – Orange County United Way’s OC Free Tax Prep program prepared 16,127 tax returns throughout Orange County this year – playing a vital role in assisting individuals and families in keeping their hard-earned money.
A Snapshot of 2023 Outcomes
- 16,127 tax returns prepared throughout Orange County
- Almost $15.1 million in federal and state refunds issued, including more than $2.8 million in federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC)
- 8,245 taxpayers served over the age of 60
- $4.2 million saved in tax preparation fees
- Total local impact of $19.3 million
Orange County United Way partnered with 23 local organizations and hosted 522 free tax preparation events throughout the county to help eligible taxpayers (households earning less than $60k a year) file their taxes free of charge and assess their qualification for federal and California EITC. The average gross income of taxpayers helped via OC Free Tax Prep was just under $29k per year. More than 16,152 volunteer hours were contributed by 727 virtual and in-person volunteers.
“There’s no greater feeling than making a positive impact and helping thousands of local Orange County residents become more financially stable and self-sufficient,” said Susan B. Parks, President, and CEO of Orange County United Way. “Thanks to our OC Free Tax Prep program and the many dedicated volunteers who provide valuable tax prep services, we were able to prepare over 16,100 tax returns to help Orange County residents keep more of their hard earned money.”
Orange County United Way hosts and staffs a toll-free tax appointment line and made 2,863 appointments via the hotline this year. The organization leads and funds the coalition, coordinates volunteer recruitment and training, and distributes countywide informational materials. Throughout the county, taxpayers saved an estimated $4.2 million on tax preparation fees.
For The Vasquez Family, with three children ages 9, 10 and 17 years old, OC Free Tax Prep helped them save on preparation fees and receive cash back tax credits they get to use to help pay for credit cards and other expenses. The family said, “the best thing about this is that we will have enough money to be able to save up this year.”
The OC Free Tax Prep program is part of Orange County United Way’s United for Financial Security initiative to increase the number of financially stable families in Orange County and break the cycle of poverty.
For more information about OC Free Tax Prep, please visit ocfreetaxprep.com.
ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY
Orange County United Way is committed to breaking barriers and improving lives for everyone who lives here. Through our three key initiatives—United for Student Success℠, United for Financial Security℠, and United to End Homelessness℠—we are working to ensure local students succeed, struggling OC families gain financial security, and our homeless neighbors find a place to call home. We step up to actively address the critical issues facing our community and we go the extra mile to make sure our residents have the support they need. We are committed to caring for one another. That’s #TheOCWay.
To learn more or discover how you can help, visit UnitedWayOC.org.
Orange County United Way is a standalone, independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
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Media Contact: Annie Noebel, anoebel@cornerstonecomms.com, (949) 525-7024
