“In the past we would do the taxes for Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Milton and Randolph . . . but it turns out that a lot more people need help, and instead of sending them to another site that might be farther from them . . . I figured why not open it up to the rest of Norfolk County?’’ said Isaias Sarmiento, the financial literacy coordinator at QCAP.
There’s clearly no shortage of need.
In just the first week that the service was offered, QCAP prepared more than 60 tax returns at its Hancock Street office.
By the end of tax season, QCAP’s program - run through the United Way, with funding and numerous volunteers from Bank of America and supplemental funding from the Walmart Foundation - is expected to help close to 600 residents prepare their returns, with those coming to the Quincy office getting refunds totaling more than $1 million.
Participants must be income-eligible, generally making less than $50,000. Many of the clients are repeat clients; however, residents are coming into the program all the time, Sarmiento said.
“The IRS estimates that in our region, there is $20 million that goes unclaimed,’’ said Kory Eng, assistant vice president of community impact for United Way.
Refunds often go unclaimed because some taxpayers think they don’t earn enough to file a return, Eng said. Others are unaware of certain benefits they are eligible for, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is available only to low-income taxpayers.
“The effort is to close the gap, bring awareness, bring volunteers to these sites to do free tax prep so families don’t have to pay for that service,’’ Eng said.
“The whole idea is to boost their income . . . It’s really critical. It’s income into the hands of people who need it. It puts money into the local economy.’’
