Province extends free tax help for people with disabilities

People with disabilities and other barriers will continue to receive free help filing their income tax and accessing tax credits and benefits, thanks to $1.18 million in provincial funding.

Disability Alliance B.C. (DABC) has been operating the Tax Assistance and Information program (Tax AID) since 2015, providing free community-based income tax filing services for persons with disabilities and persons with persistent multiple barriers throughout British Columbia.

DABC works with partners Together Against Poverty Society, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society and the Active Support Against Poverty Society to ensure people around the province can receive this support. The new funding will help the program run for an additional three years.

“Making B.C. more accessible for everyone includes improving access to things like financial resources,” said Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “I am very happy the Tax AID program can continue to support people through what is often a complicated process, ensuring that they receive the benefits or financial supports they are entitled to.”

It is not uncommon for people receiving income assistance or disability assistance to have incomes below the poverty line, and they often face significant barriers to accessing additional financial resources through tax filing. The services provided through Tax AID can help people access tax credits, income tax refunds and additional benefits such as Registered Disability Savings Plan grants and bonds.

Since 2018, Tax AID has served over 5,200 clients and helped them to access over $9.73 million in income tax benefits.

In 2017, there were an estimated 926,100 British Columbians (24.7 per cent of the population) who reported having a disability.

Learn more about Tax AID: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/direct-service/file-income-taxes/