NY credit unions assist thousands with tax preparation

ALBANY, NY (04/22/2015)(readMedia)-- For Immediate Release April 22, 2015 Contact: Ronald McLean, Senior Vice President (800) 342-9835, ext. 8191 | Ronald.McLean@nycua.org NY credit unions assist thousands with tax preparation (Albany, N.Y.) – New York's credit unions assisted thousands of individuals and families with free tax preparation services last year, according to the New York Credit Union Association's 2014 MORE Report. The report is an annual compilation of credit union outreach stories that celebrates the positive difference New York credit unions make for their members and communities. The full report will be available to the media, lawmakers and the public in the weeks ahead. According to the report, in 2014, the state's credit unions helped New Yorkers file 81,500 tax returns and claim $110 million in tax credits and benefits. In total, New York's credit union staff and volunteers provided 36,000 hours of service through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, a federal program that offers free tax services to qualifying individuals. The VITA program is available to taxpayers who earn $53,000 or less per year, persons with disabilities, the elderly and individuals who speak limited English. All of the volunteer tax services were provided to both credit union and non-credit union members. "Year after year, day in and day out, New York's credit unions demonstrate how deeply invested they are in their communities," said NYCUA President and CEO William J. Mellin. "Assisting members of the community with volunteer tax preparation services is just one of the many ways that the state credit union movement works towards the financial betterment of all New Yorkers." The New York Credit Union Association has served as the trade association for the state's credit unions for 97 years. With more than 5 million memberships, New York credit union assets total more than $68 billion. To learn more about NYCUA, visit www.nycua.org. To find a credit union or learn more about the credit union movement, visit www.asmarterchoice.org.