It may sound like a scam, but there’s such a thing as free tax preparation and tax credit assistance for people in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Monique Ngo Ngwe, a nurse assistant in Gaithersburg couldn’t believe it.
“I don’t want to be in trouble with the IRS!” she said. “[This is] the best thing I’ve ever seen in America!” she said of the free help she received.
Ngo Ngwe said she heard that Montgomery County was pairing residents like her — people who earn $60,000 or less per year — with tax experts for free. At first, she figured it might not be legitimate. But when her friend showed her the refund she got from the IRS, she immediately contacted county officials.
On Friday, Ngo Ngwe joined state, county and local officials at The Equity Center office in the Lakeforest Mall for the kickoff event with nonprofits such as CASH Campaign of Maryland, as well as programs including Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and the Gaithersburg Financial Empowerment Center.
Ngo Ngwe told the audience how she made her appointment with VITA, and they provided her with a volunteer who could translate the information in her native French. Ngo Ngwe said when she saw how much money she would be getting back, she was a bit concerned.
Maryland State Comptroller Brooke Lierman also attended the event, explaining, “There are too many low-income Marylanders who don’t know what tax credits they qualify for.”
“It’s really important that there is high-quality service…
