Earlier this month, the IRS ruled that Maine’s $850 pandemic relief checks are not taxable by the federal government – which is just what my colleagues and I intended when we worked on the budget last year. Also, the same Mainers who were eligible for the $850 pandemic relief checks should expect their $450 winter energy relief checks within the coming weeks.

Donna Bailey

According to the governor, all checks will be mailed out by the end of March. To find out the status of your $450 check, you can use this online tool: portal.maine.gov/refundstatus/payment. With this in mind, it’s time for Maine taxpayers to file their 1040s.

In the district, York County CA$H offers free tax preparation for eligible taxpayers. You qualify for this free service if your adjusted gross income (AGI) is below $60,000. IRS-certified volunteers can help prepare basic federal and state income tax returns. These volunteers can also help determine if you are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit, and the Credit for the Elderly or Disabled. This free tax preparation pays off: Last year, nearly $1 million in state and federal refunds were received by York County CA$H tax preparation participants.

In addition to the above credits and refunds, you might be eligible for the Property Tax Fairness Credit and the Sales Tax Fairness Credit. This year, York County CA$H offers two options for filing taxes: (1.) drop-and-go and (2.) in-person appointments.

For drop-and-go service:

· Go to 357 Elm St. in Biddeford or 6 Spruce St. in Sanford.

· Pick up an envelope to complete the paperwork.

· Return the completed paperwork to the office between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday (Biddeford), 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (Sanford).

· For in-person appointments, call YCCAC at 207-324-5762, ext. 2718.

To get help making an appointment or to learn about the program, contact Pamela White, who is the York County CA$H coordinator, at 207-800-3541 or pamela.white@yccac.org.

When you complete your 1040, you’ll see a box for the Emergency Food Assistance Program Fund. In the 130th Legislature, I was proud to be the lead co-sponsor for LD 1046, which added the check box to raise funds for hunger prevention. If you check the box (No. 8), it’s a voluntary donation that can help Maine address food insecurity.

For me, hunger is deeply personal. Where I grew up in rural New Hampshire, money was always tight – and I qualified for free school lunches. It makes me sad to know that, many decades later, hunger remains a reality for families across New England. In fact, Maine ranks seventh worst in the nation for food insecurity. This voluntary donation will support community hunger prevention programs and food pantries. If just half of Maine income taxpayers check off the $25 box, the state would raise $10 million in 2023. Thank you for considering to help.

Donna Bailey serves in the Maine Senate representing District 31, which includes Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Buxton. She can be reached at Donna.Bailey@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515.