It’s that time of year again.

Somehow, tax season sneaks up time and time again, but not quite in the way Christmas or Hannukah or one’s birthday might sneak up. This time of the year tends to feel a bit more daunting—especially for families living paycheck-to-paycheck.

When an unexpected expense has the power to derail a person’s life, the difference between paying additional taxes or receiving a refund is paramount. To help our neighbors keep the money they need, United Way operates an annual Free Tax Campaign across King County. Last year, our IRS-certified volunteers helped families save an average of $1,809 on their tax returns. For many, that’s equivalent to a month’s rent, providing a much-needed buffer in the monthly budget.

Showing up everywhere from malls to libraries to the lobbies of our partner organizations, the Free Tax Campiagn helped 12,720 Washington families last year and saved them a total of $15.7 million in tax refunds.

Filing taxes can feel like navigating a mine field. The path is riddled with barriers like the cost of professional tax services, language barriers, disability, and the various nuances that exist in America’s tax code. And despite living in one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, the average income of our Free Tax clients was $35,280 last year, so we understand that every cent we can keep in people’s pockets—money that goes to a child’s tee-ball fees, putting dinner on the table, or simply paying rent—is critical.

If you make less than $80,000 a year (or less than $96,000 for non-single filers), our IRS-certified volunteers will help you understand your tax situation to keep more of your hard-earned money. Our volunteers know how to take advantage of credits like the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Working Families Tax Credit to maximize your refund. No fine print. No kidding. We’re here to help.

Our in-person sites opened on Jan. 21, 2025, and will run through April 19, 2025. Depending on the day and time, the sites also offer assistance in multiple languages, including but not limited to Spanish, Hebrew, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Ukrainian, Romanian, Tamil, and Korean.

How do you sign up?

Our next big tax event is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 21, at Hopelink Carnation (31957 E Commercial St. Carnation, WA (8014).

If Friday doesn’t work for you, please view our full calendar (including offered languages, locations, and times) here.

What should you bring?

Please make sure to bring the following with you to the tax site:

• If you are married, please bring your spouse. 
• Photo ID. 
• Social Security Card or ITIN for each person on your return (including dependents).
  • Prior-year returns CANNOT be used to verify your SSN. 
• Income documents (such as W-2, 1099s, Social Security income documents). 
• Business expense documents, including mileage (if filing self-employment). 
• If anyone in the household is insured through the WA HealthPlan Marketplace, please bring Form 1095-A. 
• We recommend bringing your bank account and routing number if you’re interested in direct deposit or paying your taxes through direct debit. 

More questions?

Please email freetax@uwkc.org for any questions or concerns regarding our services. You can also check out our Free Tax Campaign webpage and its Frequently Asked Questions site for more information.

Do you want to support this work?

If you don’t qualify for our Free Tax Campiagn but you understand the value of this work, please consider supporting what we do!

You can volunteer in next year’s campaign (sign up for our newsletter in the “Stay Connected” section to stay up to date on volunteer registration) or donate to help fund the sites we set up across the county.