This tax season, Montanans will be able to electronically file their taxes and apply for the Earned Income Credit (EIC) free at www.icanefile.org.

The EIC enables working families to receive up to $4,204 from the IRS. As the largest federal anti-poverty program, the National Consumer Law Center estimates that the EIC is worth $31 billion in total to working families. By logging onto this website, created by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County, users can obtain their money in as little as ten days. Users can avoid paying interest and filing fees to income tax preparers, which can consume up to half of the tax credit, or taking out refund anticipation loans, which can have interest rates up to 774 percent.

This free and easy to use program provides people with step-by-step instructions on how to electronically file their taxes. The website can be utilized by anyone with an internet connection and a printer. For example, you can file your taxes at www.icanefile.org from a public library or from your home. Almost 50 social service organizations statewide have offered their public access computers for this purpose. Tax-filers can call Montana Legal Services to find out where a designated computer is in their area.

People interested using this website to electronically file for the EIC can call their local Montana Legal Services office for more information.

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