Mayor Slay Encourages City Residents to Learn about Earned Income Tax Credit before Filing

ST. LOUIS -- Before filing your taxes this year, Mayor Francis Slay and partners at the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Gateway EITC Community Coalition, and the IRS want to remind taxpayers about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

The EITC is a refundable tax credit for low- to moderate-income working individuals and families. Claiming it means keeping more money in your pocket and increasing financial stability, yet every year up to $40 million in refunds go unclaimed in the St. Louis region, oftentimes because people simply don't know about it.

"The tax credit represents a substantial loss of revenue for our residents and lost income for many workers," Mayor Slay said. "This is money on the table. The average national EITC refund in 2016 was more than $2,455. In the City of St. Louis alone, more than 40,000 families received more than a $106 million in EITC refunds last year."

Individuals and families also may qualify for free tax preparation offered through the United Way and its partners by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-427-4626.

WHO:
Mayor Francis Slay
Debbie Irwin, United Way of Greater St. Louis
Russ Signorino, Gateway EITC Community Coalition
Danielle Douglass, Internal Revenue Service

WHEN:
10 a.m.
Friday, January 27, 2017

WHERE:
Mayor's Office
City Hall, Room 200
1200 Market St.
St. Louis, MO 63103