Lt. Gov. Quinn joins IRS and Center for Economic Progress on �Super Saturday� to urge taxpayers to get the economic stimulus tax rebates they deserve

Link: http://www.standingupforillinois.org/feature.php?id=270

Free tax-preparation sites open throughout Illinois on Saturday to especially help retirees, veterans and low-income workers apply for tax rebates

(Chicago) - On Saturday, March 29 at 11:00 a.m. or "Super Saturday," Lt. Governor Pat Quinn will remind all Illinois workers that they must fill out a 2007 tax return in order to receive the tax rebates they are entitled to from the economic stimulus package Congress passed earlier this year.

The Internal Revenue Service is hosting a "Super Saturday" tax-preparation day, keeping 320 IRS offices open on March 29, including 14 in Illinois.  The offices will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will provide free tax preparation assistance to help retirees, veterans and low-income workers receive economic stimulus payments.

"Every eligible person in Illinois deserves to receive their rebate from the economic stimulus package," Quinn said.  "Unfortunately, those who most need the stimulus payments are at the greatest risk of missing out on this opportunity.  We are urging workers to use resources like the Internal Revenue Service and the Center for Economic Progress for help in filling out those important 2007 tax returns."

In May, eligible people will start receiving payments of up to $600 (up to $1,200 per couple), with parents receiving an additional $300 for each eligible child.  Seniors, low-wage workers and disabled veterans who are not usually required to fill out a tax return must do so this year in order to benefit from the economic stimulus package.

In an effort to help Illinois workers receive their stimulus payments, the Center for Economic Progress is also offering free tax assistance to seniors, veterans, low-wage workers and the disabled - those least likely to file a tax return on a yearly basis. 

The Center for Economic Progress will provide a mobile tax-preparation unit staffed with tax-prep experts who will visit senior centers, nursing homes, veteran and disabled community centers across Illinois.  In addition, the center will set up a hotline for taxpayers and community organizations who need help filing for stimulus payments.  

Lt. Governor Quinn will be joined at the news conference by Carol Barnett, Acting Director of the Internal Revenue Service's Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC), and Mary Ruth Herbers, from the Center for Economic Progress.

For more information, please visit the Lt. Governor's Web site at www.standingupforillinois.org.  For information on the IRS free tax-preparation sites, please call 800-906-9887 or visit www.irs.gov.  For information on the Center for Economic Progress' tax assistance programs, dial the toll-free statewide number at 888-827-8511, or visit: www.centerforprogress.org.