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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:black"><img width="229" height="74" style="width:2.3854in;height:.7708in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D3CD98.53D69050" alt="cid:image001.png@01D3CD98.53D69050"></span></b><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">April 6, 2018</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, (971) 673-0788 office<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">Top five EITC tax tips for working families<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Nearly 1 in 5 eligible Oregonians leave thousands of dollars on the table with the EITC
</span></i><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">PORTLAND—Nearly one in five eligible Oregonians do not claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), many because they don’t know it exists. But the EITC can mean thousands of dollars back to help with rent, groceries
and other households expenses. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As Oregonians prepare their taxes, the Bureau of Labor and Industries is urging low- and middle-income filers to check to see if they qualify.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Top five EITC tips at tax time for low-income working families:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>If you worked at all last year, you <b>may qualify</b> for a tax refund
<b>even if you do not owe any taxes</b>. To get this cash benefit, you must file a tax return and claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, also known as the EITC.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Even if you are self-employed or an <b>independent contractor</b>, you may still be eligible for the EITC.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>On average, Oregonians who filed for the EITC got <b>$2,100 back</b>. See your eligibility and how much you may receive at
<a href="http://www.eitcoutreach.org/help">www.eitcoutreach.org/help</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>You didn’t claim the EITC the past few years, but you probably qualified? No worries. You can file or refile a tax return and
<b>claim a refund for the past three years</b>. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>You may be able to <b>avoid fees and costs</b> by contacting
<a href="https://cashoregon.org/">Cash Oregon</a> for free tax assistance, and you may be able to use the IRS’s
<a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> service at no cost.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">As part of the effort to increase awareness of the EITC, the Oregon Department of Human Service has also developed an EITC
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB75xcPfLKE">video found here</a>. <o:p>
</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">For more information about BOLI’s efforts to support Oregon’s workforce and provide technical assistance to Oregon employers, please visit
</span><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a><span style="color:black">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">###</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon, Ste. 1050<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, OR 97232<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel: 971-673-0788 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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