Entergy Texas customers can receive free virtual tax prep

02/09/2022

Volunteers will help qualifying customers claim their Earned Income Tax Credits

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – For more than 12 years, Entergy Texas employees have volunteered to help customers who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit receive assistance in claiming the money they’ve earned. And this year is no different.

Entergy Texas is also continuing its partnership with community advocates to support free IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance tax preparation services for qualifying customers. Funding for this effort is provided through shareholder contributions and does not impact customer bills.

Since 2011, Entergy Texas’ support of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites has helped return over $15 million to almost 12,000 residents in southeast Texas. The federal government estimates EITC has lifted more than 5.6 million people out of poverty, including 3 million children; however, one out of five people who qualify for the EITC fail to claim it.

“The Earned Income Tax Credit is one of our country’s most effective tools for lifting low-income workers and their families above the poverty line,” said Stuart Barrett, vice president of customer service. “Our goal is to increase the amount of federal money returned to our customers by raising awareness of the credit and supporting VITA sites to help qualified customers avoid high fees.”

Free tax preparation services are provided at VITA sites throughout the 2022 tax season. At local VITA sites, IRS-certified volunteers from Entergy Texas and community partners will be available to help residents who earn $57,000 or less determine if they qualify to receive the tax benefits. Qualifying families can receive as much as $6,700 through EITC.

In some VITA locations, local community partners are offering appointments for tax preparation services, drop-off tax prep services, financial coaching, budget workshops, free legal services and more. Contact the provider in your community to confirm available services. VITA site locations are available at entergy.com/freetaxhelp. Residents may sign up to have their taxes prepared at getyourrefund.org/BakerRipley. Information from getyourrefund.org will be used to match a tax filer with a nearby VITA provider.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to more than 473,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, an integrated energy company engaged in electric power production, transmission and retail distribution operations. Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy owns and operates one of the cleanest large-scale U.S. power generating fleets with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 7,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, Entergy has annual revenues of $10 billion and approximately 12,500 employees.