I-CAN! E-File was created to help low-to moderate-income taxpayers claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and avoid costly tax preparation fees and Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) which can charge up to 700% interest. I-CAN! E-File is a FREE, Internet-based program that enables taxpayers to prepare their income tax returns free of charge from anywhere in the country. The Legal Aid Society of Orange County, founded in 1958, created this program in 2002 and it
has been expanded every year to assist more taxpayers. There are no income limitations for this program. With this program you can e-file your taxes and get your refund (should you receive one) without paying a single fee. The States supported by this module include: Alaska, California, Florida, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.I-CAN! E-File is written at a 5th grade literacy level to increase ease of use. It is also equipped with a LiveChat feature which enables taxpayers to have questions answered and technical issues resolved in real time by trained personnel. Taxpayers who receive a refund can also use the Direct Deposit option and have the funds deposited directly into their checking/savings account.
Visit I-CAN! E-File WebsiteOver the past decade, I-CAN! E-File has grown from a Orange County, California-based pet project into a natioanlly recognized tax program featured as the only nonprofit program in the IRS’ Freefile Alliance. In that same time, returns have exploded and continued on an annual growth rate of more than 30%. Last year, I-CAN! E-File returned more than $140 million to 80,000 taxpayers in 48 states.
The first step in the filing process is to make sure that all tax documents are available and stored in one place before attempting to complete the tax filing process. Clients oftentimes come into our offices to prepare the tax forms and forget one or more of their tax forms. In these situations, there is nothing we can do but ask the client to come back another time with all of their documents.
The I-CAN! E-File introduction ensures that a taxpayer has all of their forms ready before beginning the process, but if they’ve already begun to answer the questions, it’s no big deal. They can simply log out of the system and store their information until the next time the can get back to a computer and finish the process. Once logging in, they will be taken right back to where they left off in the process, so no information will be lost.
The second step in the filing process is to actually sit down and prepare the many different tax forms. I-CAN! E-File simplifies that tax filing process and asks easy-to-understand questions one at a time. I-CAN! E-File was written at a 5th grade literacy level in three different languages – English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Once a user has gone through the step-by-step questionnaire, I-CAN! E-File will automatically fill out the various tax forms and tax credits then compile them for e-filing. Users can view and print their completed return before they e-file to verify that all their information is correct and to keep a copy for their records.
The third step in the filing process is to E-File both State and Federal returns. If a user chooses to file their tax returns electronically (e-file), I-CAN! E-File will send the returns to the IRS and state for FREE. Users won’t need to to mail any forms to the IRS or state and they will generally receive any federal or state refunds faster than if they mailed in their return.
When a user e-files their return and they are due a refund, I-CAN! E-File is able to help them directly deposit their return into a bank account. If a user owes taxes, they can set up an Electronic Funds Withdrawal or they can decide to mail in a check or money order with a payment voucher.
The fourth and final step in the e-filing process is to make sure the IRS and state have accepted the tax return. Once a user has e-filed their return, their filing status will be “PENDING”. To verify that both returns have been accepted, users must follow up on their return.
If a users’ status is “pending” or “rejected” that means that they have not yet filed their return according to the IRS. A tax return is not filed until their status is “ACCEPTED“.
If a users’ status is “REJECTED”, the I-CAN! E-File status page will tell them what to do to correct the return so that they can e-file again. After they e-file again, they will need to come back to I-CAN! E-File on the next business day to check their updated status.
Users must return to the to I-CAN! E-File to check their e-file status:
