Salem, Ore. – For Oregonians who have not yet received their Economic Impact Payment, filing their taxes may help them receive it. The federal and state income tax filing deadline due to COVID-19 has been extended to July 15, 2020. Many people have not reveived this payment even though it’s been available for several months. All you have to do is file your taxes if you haven’t already. If you’re not required to file, visit irs.gov and use the “non-filers” tool to register for your payment. Filing your taxes also might help you access extra money through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC can be a boost to you, your family, and community. If you worked last year and had income of less than $55,952 you may be eligible for the EITC. Even if you aren’t required to file a tax return, you may qualify for refundable credits. You can also file for the Earned Income Tax Credit for the past three years by filing a return, or amending a previously filed return. 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. Taxpayers can use the IRS’ EITC Assistant to further check their eligibility. If you need free tax filing help, start with the Oregon Department of Revenue’s website: www.oregon.gov/dor. Or you can call Metropolitan Family Service Cash Oregon for help: 503-966-7942.
