It’s that time of year again: tax season. While hardly anyone enjoys the chore of preparing and filing their taxes, there can be a silver lining. Both the federal and state governments offer numerous tax credits that can put real cash into your wallet. So, I urge East End families to find out which tax breaks are available and make sure to claim them.

Here are some of the more popular tax credits that may save you money:

• the Empire State Child Credit, a refundable tax credit worth up to $330 per child for ages 4-16;
• the Child and Dependent Care Credit, a tax credit based on a sliding income scale for working parents who pay for child care or those who live with a spouse or dependent who is physically or mentally incapable of self-care;
• the federal Child Tax Credit, a non-refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under the age of 17, or the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit; and
• the Real Property Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit worth up to $375 if at least one member of your household is 65 or older, or up to $75 if all members of your household are under 65.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps workers earning a low or moderate income reduce their taxes and may result in a refund. To qualify for the New York State and federal EITC, you must:

• have worked full or part time at some point during the calendar year;
• be raising “qualified” children at home;
• have income below $39,296 ($44,846 if married) with one child;
• have income below $44,648 ($50,198 if married) with two children;
• have income below $47,955 ($53,505 if married) with three or more children; or
• be a worker between the ages of 25 and 65, earning less than $14,880 ($20,430 if married) with no children.

Visit tax.ny.gov for more information on these tax credits.

Free tax preparation assistance is available through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA provides IRS-certified volunteers to help individuals and families with annual incomes of $54,000 or less, people with disabilities, the elderly and those with limited English skills. For those 60 years of age and older, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program can also help, at no cost to you. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, visit irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers or call 800-906-9887.