ACCESS offers tax help to people looking to maximize EITC benefits

Efforts by Dearbornbased ACCESS to increase awareness of the federal government’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) appear to be paying off.

The social service agency has targeted eligible Arab/ Chaldean/Assyrian residents who did not get an EITC benefit in 2020 with the new assistance program. More than 100 appointments have been booked at its Dearborn and Sterling Heights offices this tax season, and the number is growing.

Significant portions of those populations in both cities, along with that of Dearborn Heights, speak languages other than English at home. Also, all three cities have rates of individuals without a high school diploma that exceed the national average. As a result, it is estimated that far fewer of them are aware of EITC eligibility.

“ACCESS has been offering tax filing assistance in partnership with Accounting Aid Society on a smaller scale for several years, and we expanded it this year,” said Riham Ayoub, a public health coordinator at ACCESS.

“The focus is to implement a linguisticallyand culturally-appropriate EITC campaign to encourage more people in the community to participate to enhance financial well-being.”

EITC helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break.

According to the IRS, the amount of a tax filer’s credit may change depending on a number of criteria, including children, dependents and disabilities.

Taxpayers can only get EITC when filing a federal tax return and claiming it. They must have income

earned from a job, on their own, or from their own business. Those who qualify can use the credit to reduce the taxes owed — and possibly increase a tax refund — in any given year.

In 2019, 724,000 Michigan families received $1.8-billion in EITC refunds.

It is estimated that three in 10 EITC-eligible Arab American households are not making use of this benefit, also due in part to explanatory messaging being primarily in English.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 extends EITC eligibility for many young adults and those over the age of 65. Ayoub said it is difficult to gauge its impact on local pocketbooks because ACCESS’s EITC program is also new.

“Tax filing can be confusing

for anyone,” she said. “We think the reason is mostly a lack of awareness of EITC, as our target population is a marginalized community with limited English proficiency. We will have an evaluation component in the next few months that will measure the effects of the outreach campaign on participation in EITC.”

Those who believe they qualify for the EITC can set up a free appointment by calling Ayoub at 313-9201662.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ACCESS Adiba Antwan (right) gets a helping hand from Nathan Bardage on filing her 2021 tax returns. Bardage is an ACCESS tax intake specialist helping those in need with preparation services and informing clients of possible eligibility for the federal government’s Earned Income Tax Credit.

Ahmed Ibseileh, a tax intake specialist at ACCESS, is pictured recently offering tax preparation assistance to Daniel Cholagh, one of more than 100 people who have made appointments with the Dearborn-based agency to get free tax help offered in conjunction with Accounting Aid Society.