City of Indianapolis, Bank On Indy Partners to Host Free Tax Preparation Kickoff

All Indianapolis residents and community partners are welcome to attend Indy’s Free Tax Preparation Kickoff event at Conseco Fieldhouse from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. Marion County residents who earned less than $49,000 in 2010 may qualify for free tax preparation onsite, available through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), an Internal Revenue Service program brought to Indianapolis residents by Indy’s Campaign for Financial Fitness (ICFF) and Save Earn Learn: Indianapolis Asset Building Coalition. ICFF is First Lady of Indianapolis Winnie Ballard’s initiative to achieve financial literacy for all Marion County residents. Attendees who wish to have taxes prepared onsite may call 2-1-1 to learn what to bring.

VITA helps working families take advantage of all of the tax credits they are eligible for including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC) and education credits. Volunteers from the community help prepare basic, current-year tax returns for eligible taxpayers free of charge. Indy’s Free Tax Preparation Kickoff also will provide Marion County residents information about other ICFF programs, such as Bank On Indy to establish bank accounts, and offer these financial workshops to learn how to budget, build credit and more:

* 11 a.m. “Avoiding Fraud,” Office of the Indiana Secretary of State
* Noon “Take Charge of Your Money,” Charles Schwab
* 1 p.m. “Money Management,” Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnerships
* 2 p.m. “Successful Renting,” Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnerships

Free parking is available in the Virginia Avenue garage adjacent to Conseco Fieldhouse. Free tax preparation offered by this program continues through April at sites throughout Marion County. For more information, visit www.indyscampaign.org.

WHAT: Indy’s Free Tax Preparation Kickoff

WHO: Mayor Greg Ballard, First Lady of Indianapolis Winnie Ballard, Brighthouse Networks Indiana Division Vice President of Finance Rick Langhals, United Way President and CEO Ellen Annala, Charles Schwab Director of Portfolio Consulting Rob Hurst, IRS Territory Manager Ken Williams

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, January 27, 2011 (Remarks at 10 a.m.)

WHERE: Conseco Fieldhouse, 125 S. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis