Wednesday, April 14

Greetings!

Are you still working on your 2020 taxes?

You'll be excited to hear that the tax deadline has been extended! Find details here.

**NEW tax filing deadline is May 17, 2021**

We have compiled Bay Area community partners and online resources to help you save money on this year's taxes!

Visit the ECESF Tax Resources page to find out more about how the Cares 2.0 stipend, economic stimulus payment, unemployment, and other tax updates may impact your tax filing this year.

This message is part of a series of ECESF tax information emails leading up to the tax filing deadline. Have another great resource? Let us know, info@ecesf.org with subject: Tax Resources. 

Please help us get out the word. Share with your community!
Best,
Anna and Sara
ECESF
San Francisco Human Services Agency will help you file your taxes for free if you earned less than $66,000 in 2020. You'll get help applying for the Working Families Credit and other tax credits.


Use IRS Free File
Beginning in January 2021, everyone who earned $72,000 or less in 2020 can file electronically for free on IRS.gov or with the IRS2Go app. The IRS Free File program offers brand-name tax preparation software packages to use at no cost. The software does all the work of finding deductions, credits and exemptions for you. Some of the Free File packages also offer free state tax return preparation.

If you’re comfortable preparing your own taxes, you can use Free File Fillable Forms, regardless of your income, to file your tax returns either by mail or online.


Did you take classes in 2020?
Don’t miss out on your Education Tax Credit!

An education credit helps with the cost of higher education by reducing the amount of tax owed on your tax return from expenses paid for city college courses, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. It also includes most expenses paid to acquire the education such as textbooks and materials. 

Check out the Internal Revenue Service interactive app, "Am I Eligible to Claim an Education Credit?" to determine if you are eligible for education credits and deductions.
 
Find out which credit you qualify for, see this handy chart to compare the education credits.
Did you donate to charity last year?
The Internal Revenue Service has a special new provision that will allow more people to easily deduct up to $300 in donations to qualifying charities this year, even if they don’t itemize.

Following special tax law changes made earlier this year, cash donations of up to $300 made before December 31, 2020, are now deductible when people file their taxes in 2021.
Do you need help claiming the CARES 2.0 stipend
in your taxes?
Many of you have received one or two educator CARES 2.0 stipends in 2020 and will receive a 1099 form for your taxes. Children's Council mailed 1099 tax forms on January 23, 2021 to early educators who received a total payment of $600 or more in 2020.

Please visit the Children’s Council article “How do I understand my 1099 tax form from Children's Council?” for more information. OECE also has a tax help resource list in English, Español, 中文 and Cares 2.0 stipend information in English, Español, 中文.
Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) offers services in Español and English.
Earn It, Keep It, Save It offers services in multiple languages virtually and at over 200+ Bay Area locations.
Tax-Aid offers services in English, Español, 需要報稅協助, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, Русский, Tiếng Việt, Kreyòl ayisyen.
San Francisco Women's Building offers services in Español and English.
The IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer services in English, Español, 中文 (简体), 中文 (繁體), 한국어, Русский, Tiếng Việt, Kreyòl ayisyen.
San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) offer services and help applying for the Working Families Credit and other tax credits in English, Español, 中文, русский, Tiếng Việt, and Filipino
ECESF receives funding from the Office of Early Care and Education to provide field building and peer supports to early care educators, as well as generous donations and in-kind contributions to build our advocacy and community work from individual early care educators, and allies, community organizations and agencies. Support our work. Donate!