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Nonprofit Helping Coloradans File Taxes For Free

(CBS4) - No, you didn't stumble into a time machine. It is July, not April, but your federal taxes are due on the 15th of this month. The deadline was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but not everyone files taxes.

Courtney O'Reilly the Director of Tax Help Colorado says, "A lot of Coloradans don't have to file a tax return and so they don't."

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More than 200,000 low-to-middle income Coloradans don't file taxes because they don't have to or they're overwhelmed by the process. Those people are missing out on some serious refund money from the Earned Income Tax Credit.

"In Colorado, the average amount you can get back for that is $2,200," said O'Reilly.

This year if you haven't filed, you are probably missing out on even more money. Annelise Grimm the Associate Program Manager at the nonprofit Code for America said, "Because people haven't filed they are also missing out on those stimulus payments."

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That's why the folks over at Code for America have created getyourrefund.org. It's a website where anyone can file their taxes for free. Plus, if you are low or middle income, you can get live help over the internet from a tax professional absolutely free.

Then you can collect your money.

"It's a very good thing to help families get access to those funds," said Grimm.

For many low or middle income families that money can make a huge difference and help them achieve their financial goals. That's why Code for America built the site.

"Really what we're doing here is trying to make sure that families have that basic financial stability that they need to be able to engage in their communities."

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O'Reilly says they know it's hard to trust a free website these days, especially with sensitive information, but she says there is nothing to be afraid of.

"We know tax season can be really stressful for most people, and we are just here to make that a little less stressful and make sure that you don't leave money on the table," she said.

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