Tax Season: A Time for Financial Empowerment

April brings more than spring flowers to the Bay Area—it brings tax season to its final countdown. For some, it’s a time of anticipated refunds and financial planning. For others, it’s a source of stress and uncertainty.

As I watch the calendar move closer to Tax Day, I’m reminded of the families I’ve met throughout my time at United Way Bay Area—hardworking parents juggling multiple jobs, students balancing work and education, seniors on fixed incomes—all navigating the complexities of our tax system. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, I want you to know you’re not alone, especially with recent staff cuts and policy changes at the IRS making headlines across the country.

I believe tax season isn’t just about fulfilling a civic duty—it’s an opportunity to build financial stability and resilience for families throughout our communities. That’s why I’m proud to say our Free Tax Help services remain open and ready to support you in claiming every dollar you’ve earned.

The stark reality I see every day in the Bay Area is troubling: extreme wealth exists alongside deep poverty, with one in four families struggling to get by, despite most having at least one working adult. For every family that manages to escape poverty’s grip, two more face homelessness. When I think about these statistics, I don’t just see numbers—I see faces, stories, and potential unrealized. This persistent inequality isn’t just morally unconscionable—it’s economically unsustainable for our region.

I’m passionate about our Free Tax Help services because I’ve witnessed firsthand how access to resources helps families advance economically. One of the most effective ways to reduce poverty is surprisingly simple: put money back into people’s pockets by helping them maximize their tax refunds.

Since 2003, our volunteers have facilitated almost a billion dollars in refunds to Bay Area households. That’s real poverty-fighting money we’re moving back to families earning low wages for an entire generation — a generation!!

When I meet with families who use our services, they often tell me that their tax refund represents the largest single payment they’ll receive all year—a critical infusion of cash that helps cover childcare, rent, groceries, and more. I firmly believe the tax system, when fair and accessible to all, can serve as an extremely effective anti-poverty tool.

Tax credits that put money back into the pockets of our Bay Area neighbors include:

• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): Provides a tax break for working people with low to moderate income
• Child Tax Credit (CTC): Offers up to $2,000 per qualifying child under 17
• California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC): Additional state-level credit for qualifying low-income workers
• Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC): Extra support for California families with children under 6
• Federal Child and Dependent Care Credit: Helps offset the cost of childcare expenses
• Renter’s Credit: Available to qualified California tenants
• First-Time Homebuyer Credit (FTHC): Assistance for those buying their first home

Our Free Tax Help program is a cornerstone of our poverty-fighting strategy, and I’m proud of the real results it delivers. Last year alone, United Way Bay Area’s Free Tax Help program helped more than 35,000 participants earn $52M+ in total federal and state refunds through our collaboration with 90+ partner agencies and 1,356 volunteers. These secure, high-quality services are available in a dozen languages and formats at over 50 locations across the region.

I want to emphasize that free tax preparation services are also available to those filing with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). United Way Bay Area is deeply committed to fighting poverty; we’ve seen firsthand how attacks on immigrant communities push vulnerable families further into the shadows and deeper into poverty. United Way Bay Area stands ready to support those filing with ITINs with their tax returns this year through our Free Tax Help services.

Together, we’re building pathways to prosperity that strengthen the entire Bay Area.
In solidarity,

Keisha Browder
CEO, United Way Bay Area