Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Community Resources

  • Union County Housing Fair – Saturday, July 23, 2011

    Although the recession is technically over, the unemployment rate in New Jersey remains high as does the continued fear of home foreclosure. To address the housing crisis issue a number of agencies will be holding a Housing Fair on Saturday, July 23 at Union County College in Elizabeth. Sponsoring organizations include: Union County Foreclosure Task Force, New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA), Brand New Day, Urban League of Union County, Affordable Housing For Union County, and Faith, Brick & Mortar.

    The housing fair will be held on a Saturday in hopes of attracting homeowners, new home buyers, and tenants. Information will be available on foreclosure intervention, foreclosure prevention programs, tenants rights, credit counseling, weatherization programs, homelessness assistance, utility assistance, first time home buyer programs and more. The organizers hope to attract the general public, lenders, realtors, and other community organizations.

    The Housing Fair will be held at Union County College – Kellogg Building, 40 West Jersey Street – 5th floor, in Elizabeth, New Jersey from 10AM to 2PM. The flyer recently issued indicates that for further information and to RSVP please contact Jacqueline Jenkins of Brand New Day, Inc. at 908-282-0781, extension 146 or email: jackie.j@bndcdc.org. Feel free to copy or distribute the Union County Housing Fair flyer, either in English or in Spanish.

    In preparing this post I surveyed a number of reliable websites on foreclosure information. You may wish to visit these sites:
    HUD/NJ Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency list of certified counseling agencies, NJ Judiciary Foreclosure Mediation Program, Legal Services of New Jersey foreclosure page, and HUD’s avoiding foreclosure in New Jersey page.

    Please share this information with people who are in need of housing and foreclosure information.

  • LIHEAP Season Extended

    The state sent out an email recently to announce the deadline for energy assistance applications will be extended through May 2, 2011. The reason for the change is that the normal deadline, April 30th, falls on a Saturday. According to their news release “LIHEAP applications will be accepted until closing of normal business hours on May 2nd. We will continue accepting applications for USF all year long.”

    For a list of the local LIHEAP and USF application agencies, income guidelines, and resources for other energy and weatherization programs visit the New Jersey Community Resources website.

  • EITC Awareness Day – January 28, 2011

    Earned Income Tax Credit Can Put Money in Your Pocket

    You could be eligible to get more money back from the IRS – as much as $5,666.

    If you earned less than $48,362 from wages, self-employment or farming last year, you may qualify for a refundable tax credit called the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. But you must file a federal income tax return claiming the credit to get it.

    EITC can be a big financial boost for working people hit by hard economic times. Many individuals who saw their incomes drop in 2010 may qualify for the first time.

    The credit has been making the lives of workers a little easier for more than 35 years. Yet it remains little known, possibly because people move into and out of eligibility as their financial, marital and parental statuses change. IRS estimates four of five eligible people claim and get their EITC.

    Unlike other tax credits, both EITC eligibility and the amount of the credit is based on several factors such as the source and amount of your income, or combined incomes if married, whether you have qualifying children and how many. Workers without children also may qualify.

    The amount of the credit peaks then phases out at certain income limitations depending on filing status and other factors. You may qualify for EITC even if you had no federal tax withheld or are not otherwise required to file.

    The credit is complex, but worth exploring. It’s even more valuable if your state has a corresponding tax credit. (New Jersey does have their own.)

    The online EITC Assistant at www.irs.gov/eitc can help determine your eligibility and estimate the amount of your credit. Free help preparing your return and claiming EITC is available at volunteer income tax assistance sites and IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. To locate a volunteer site, call your community’s 211 or 311 number for local services or call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887. Find an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center in the blue pages of your telephone directory.

    Remember: if you are eligible, you must file a federal income tax return, even if you are not otherwise required to file, and you must specifically claim the credit to get it. Find more information about EITC at www.irs.gov or in your tax software package.

    According to the IRS, rural and non-traditional families — such as grandparents raising grandchildren — childless workers, and non-English speaking taxpayers are among those who most frequently overlook the credit.