Supervisor Carmen Chu: Working Family Tax Credits

Tax Credit Available for Working Families

With the deadline for filing taxes coming up on April 15, I wanted to make sure that low-income families are aware of an opportunity to keep more of what they earn.

Through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), eligible families can receive a federal tax credit of up to $5,657. You can apply for the tax credit when you file your federal income taxes.

This tax season, there are new rules that allow families with three or more qualifying children to earn slightly more income and claim a higher credit amount than families with two or fewer children. To be eligible for the EITC, your household income must be less than the amount listed below:

Single: With three or more qualifying children ($43,279); with two qualifying children ($40,295); with one qualifying child ($35,463); with no qualifying children ($13,440).

Married, filing jointly: With three or more qualifying children ($48,279); with two qualifying children (45,295); with 1 qualifying child ($40,463); with no qualifying children ($18,440).

The following is the maximum amount of tax credit one can receive, whether filing as single status or filing jointly with a spouse:

• Three or more qualifying children: $5,657;

• Two qualifying children: $5,028;

• One qualifying child: $3,043;

• No qualifying children: $457.

There are also a number of free tax preparation sites throughout the City for families with an income of less than $52,000. Sunset District residents can access free help at the following locations:

• Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center (3925 Noriega St., at 46th Avenue);

• 19th Avenue Baptist Church (1398 19th Ave.);

• San Francisco State University (1600 Holloway Ave., Room T-J, T-H). For hours of operation, call (800) 358-8832 or simply dial 2-1-1.

Working Families Credit

In addition to the Earned Income Tax Credit, eligible low-income families can also receive a Working Families Credit up to $125 from the City if they use direct deposit. You are eligible for a Working Families Credit if you meet all of the five criteria below:

• You earned less than $48,300 in 2009;

• You claim and qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit;

• You are claiming at least one qualifying dependent child on your federal tax filing who is either: A) under age 19; B) under age 24 and a full-time student; or C) permanently and totally disabled;

• You live in San Francisco;

• You have filed taxes by the April 15 deadline.

If you would like additional information about the Earned Income Tax Credit or other programs for low-income families, please visit the Web site at www.workingfamiliescredit.org.

Bank on San Francisco

If you do not have a bank account, we have a program in our City called Bank on San Francisco. Under the program, which is a partnership between the City, Federal Reserve Bank and 15 banks and credit unions, there is either a reduced fee or no fee to open an account, monthly minimum balance requirements are waived, and certain overdraft charges are eliminated.

Opening a bank account will not only help you take full advantage of the Working Families Credit, but it will also help you establish a credit history and save for the future.

For more information, please visit the Web site at www.bankonsf.org or call 2-1-1.

May is Sunset Month for Friends of Urban Forest

Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) is devoting the entire month of May to projects in the Sunset District. For one month, every department of the organization will be working to promote greening in the district by identifying neighbors who want to plant trees in front of their residences, dispatching their "tree care" team to care for many of the nearly 4,000 trees that FUF has already planted in the Sunset over the years, and conducting its youth programming in the neighborhood. If you are interested in getting a tree in front of your residence during "Sunset Month" at FUF, the package is $75 per tree and includes the cutting and removal of concrete, city permits, an arborist recommendation for species selection, the tree and planting, all related arbor ties and stakes, as well as 18-months of arborist led tree-care. The cost of purchasing a tree or removing pavement often far exceeds this program price alone. If you want to participate in a May planting, fill out the two forms located at www.fuf.net or contact greg@fuf.net by the beginning of April.

I can be reached at (415) 554-7460 or chustaff@sfgov.org.

SF Supervisor Carmen Chu represents District 4.