The Federal and State Earned Income Tax Credits are refundable tax benefits for working people with low or moderate incomes. To be eligible for the federal EITC, you must:

• Be a person raising children at home

• Have income below $33,241 (or $35,241 if married) with one child

• Have income below $37,783 (or $39,783 if married) with two or more children

• Be a worker ages 25-65 who earns less than $12,590 (or $14,590 if married) for families with no children

f your household income is less than $40,000 a year, then you are eligible to have your income tax return prepared for free. C.A.S.H., a community initiative headed by United Way, offers this service as a way to help working families get the money and assistance they have earned.

For assistance in preparing your tax return, mobile tax preparation sites will be set up throughout Staten Island.

RALs, refund anticipation loans, are shortterm loans offered by tax preparation services. These loans often have outrageous interest rates, and if your refund is less than expected, you are still obligated to repay the RAL in full.

Assemblyman Titone supported legislation that will help prevent taxpayers from falling victim to these loans by making sure RAL obligations are fully explained to the taxpayer and that the taxpayer knows an RAL is an option, not a requirement (A.1794.A).

For additional information, visit the Internal Revenue Service Web site at www.irs.gov or the state Department of Taxation and Finance Web site at www.tax.state.ny.us.