Low-Income Taxpayers File for Free with I-CAN! E-File
A free electronic tax filing system, launched with funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) eight years ago, has grown to include 560 partners in 49 states helping low-income workers apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This year, with about a month to go before the April 18 deadline for filing tax returns, the free system, called I-CAN! E-File, has processed more than $110 million in EITC refunds and tax credits. The e-file project and a new website to assist military veterans are among the ways that LSC-funded initiatives provide access and information that help low-income Americans.
The website for I-CAN! E-file permits taxpayers to log on, answer basic questions about their
finances, determine if they qualify for the EITC and then file their
federal
tax returns online or print out their tax forms and mail them to the IRS. It also
features a "live chat" function that allows website users to seek
assistance with navigating the site. Users exchange instant messages
with the website staff for help with passwords, screen displays and
other web-related issues.