Oregon urges tax return filing to claim refundable credits

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Human Services and the Department of Revenue are jointly encouraging all workers with income in 2019 to check if they may benefit from filing a return, even if they aren’t required to file.

Taxpayers may be leaving money on the table if they qualify for refundable credits, but don’t file a return claiming them.

Workers may get a larger tax refund this year because of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). But many in Oregon don’t know about this tax credit.

Friday, Jan. 31 marks the 14th anniversary of Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase awareness about EITC and free tax preparation sites.

In Oregon, 245,000 people received more than $524 million with an average amount of $2,139 from the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2019. But, potentially, many more were eligible.

If you worked last year and had income of less than $55,952, check out your eligibility for EITC. The tax credit can mean up to a $6,557 refund when you file a return and have qualifying children. Workers without a qualifying child could be eligible for a smaller credit up to $529.

Basic qualifications include:

• Filing with a status other than married filing separately.
• You, your spouse, and any qualifying child must have a Social Security Number.
• Your earned income in 2019 must be below certain limits based on your number of qualifying children.

The Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Revenue are working with other state agencies and community partners to encourage taxpayers to learn more about this credit and find out if they’re eligible.

Taxpayers can use the IRS’ EITC Assistant to further check their eligibility.

CASH Oregon provides free or low-cost, in-person tax preparation services throughout Oregon. To see their locations, visit www.cashoregon.org. People can also call 211 to find free tax return preparation sites.

For more information on the EITC, visit https://www.eitc.irs.gov/. For questions about Oregon taxes, call the Department of Revenue at 503-378-4988. For questions about the Department of Human Services call, 503-945-5600.