LEWISTON – How can applying for the Earned Income Tax Credit make a difference? If receiving a refund, how can it be wisely used? Those questions will be addressed at a Thursday, Jan. 3, community-wide informational meeting at Lewiston City Hall, 27 Pine St. The 9 a.m. gathering will take place in the building’s first-floor Council Chambers.

The session will be hosted by the Lewiston-Auburn Tax Credit Awareness Coalition, whose annual EITC awareness campaign has yielded a total of $3,885,821 in federal/state refunds to area low-to-moderate income workers since 2004. Of particular importance to those filing 2007 tax returns, eligible EITC workers may receive a tax credit of up to $4,716.

Coalition members tout the slogan, “Take the Money; You’ve Earned It,” and advocate that applying for the federal EITC and becoming more financially literate can serve as a positive “step toward prosperity” for many eligible low-to-moderate income workers.

As such, area business owners, nonprofits and residents are encouraged to attend the meeting. In addition to focusing on the EITC, the dangers of predatory lending will be covered.

Speakers will be on hand, including Tess Armstrong of the IRS, explaining EITC eligibility guidelines; Work, Women and Community’s Laurie McDonnell, speaking about financial literacy opportunities; Key Bank’s Charlie Kennedy, what predatory lending is and is not; Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Maine’s Jackie Wiegleb, how to break the debt/predatory lending cycle; and Pine Tree Legal Attorney Chet Randall, who will cover indicators of predatory lending, foreclosure prevention and non-loan options for individuals in financial distress. A 14-minute video, “Avoiding the Money Trap,” will also be shown.

Those wishing to attend the session are asked to RSVP to Coalition Co-Chairwoman Dottie Perham-Whittier at 513-3121, ext. 3205 (TTY/TDD: 513-3007) or via [email protected] or Coalition Co-Chair Chris Adler at 795-4040, ext. 329, or via [email protected].

EITC eligibility requirements and free tax preparation sites facilitated by IRS-certified volunteers may be found online at http://www.ci.lewiston.me.us/news/eitc/eitc.htm.