Tax season can be stressful, but for thousands of Arkansas families it doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming.
For nearly 20 years, Entergy has supported free tax preparation services across its service area, helping families improve financial stability and take full advantage of resources they’ve earned.
Entergy Arkansas is once again partnering with nonprofit organizations and community agencies to host Super Tax Day events throughout February, offering free, in-person tax preparation through the federal Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. These events are designed to help eligible individuals and families file accurate returns, claim valuable tax credits and keep more money in their pockets.
For Entergy Arkansas employees, the program is personal.
“I enjoy participating with the VITA program because we get to work directly one-on-one with our customers in our communities and make that direct difference in their lives,” said Kimberly Bogart, a volunteer and real estate manager for Entergy Arkansas.
At each Super Tax Day event, IRS-certified volunteers – including Entergy Arkansas employees – provide free, confidential tax preparation for qualified customers. Volunteers are trained to help customers identify deductions and credits they may be eligible for, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit, which can significantly increase refunds.
In addition to tax preparation, many events feature community resource partners who can connect customers with services related to food assistance, health resources, legal aid and utility support—helping families beyond tax season.
Most recently, volunteers were at the Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center in Little Rock helping people prepare their taxes.
“We try to do whatever we can to improve the quality of life for our customers, and that includes making their lives better in terms of affordability and their income, specifically,” said Brandi Hinkle who works with Entergy corporate social responsibility and organized the events. “We try to provide assistance because there are costs associated with getting your taxes done by other tax professionals and there’s not one with our volunteers.”
Hinkle noted that the complexity of tax filing leads many to miss out on potentially life-changing benefits.
“We want to ensure that they get the greatest return for which they are eligible. That includes, for example, the child tax credit, but also the earn income tax credit,” she said. “In Arkansas, the IRS estimates that 1 in 5 people who are eligible do not claim it, and studies show that the earned income tax credit is the best lever there is to lift people out of poverty.”
Several Super Tax Day events are still scheduled across Arkansas this month, making it easier for customers to find help close to home:
- Saturday, Feb. 14– Mississippi County Arkansas Economic Opportunity Commission, Blytheville (9 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
- Saturday, Feb. 21– St. Bernards Auditorium, Jonesboro (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- Saturday, Feb. 28– Southern Bancorp, Helena-West Helena (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
These events are open to qualifying individuals and families, including those with incomes under $69,000, taxpayers with disabilities and limited-English-speaking households. For the most accurate service, customers should bring a photo ID, Social Security cards for all dependents, income documents (such as W-2s or 1099s), health insurance forms and banking information for direct deposit.
For those who can’t attend a Super Tax Day event, help is still available.
Free, appointment-based, in-person tax preparation is offered at several Entergy-sponsored VITA sites through April 15. Customers can also receive virtual tax assistance by visiting www.getyourrefund.org/entergy. A full schedule of locations and options is available at www.entergy.com/freetaxhelp.
To learn more, find an upcoming event or schedule an appointment, visit www.entergy.com/freetaxhelp.
