RALEIGH, N.C.–State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) said it completed its tenth season of helping members with their tax preparation needs, and SECU tax preparers filed over 109,000 federal and North Carolina state income tax returns, with participating members receiving more than $153 million in refunds and saving an estimated $13 million in tax preparation fees.
Credit union personnel filed just over 93,000 returns through the free Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. SECU’s Low-Cost Tax Preparation service, an alternative for members whose income exceeds the $54,000 VITA household income limit, also helped over 16,200 SECU members file at a cost of just $75 per return. Between the two programs, SECU assisted participating filers with claiming all eligible tax credits – nearly $61 million, including $38.6 in Earned Income Tax Credits, $19.7 million in Child Tax Credits and $2.4 million in Education Credits.
“Tax time can be stressful for many people and we’re glad that members statewide find SECU’s tax preparation program very convenient and financially beneficial,” said Tenesha Carter, Senior Vice President of SECU’s Tax Preparation Services. “We have a dedicated staff of nearly 3,500 certified tax preparers who work tirelessly to ensure that the filing process is a positive experience for members.”