LOUISIANA (KLFY) – United Way of Southwest Louisiana has a free tax preparation initiative that will end April 17.

The initiative is called VITA and it “uses IRS-certified volunteers trained by United Way of Southwest Louisiana to prepare basic income taxes. The Initiative helps families take advantage of all possible tax benefits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Child Tax Credit (CTC). These credits and savings from tax filing fees help to stabilize and improve family finances,” according to the release.

Individuals or families interested in one of the last appointments in their area can check for openings in their city by dialing 211 or visiting unitedwayswla.org/vita.

An appointment can be made by dialing 211 or visiting unitedwayswla.org/vita for an easy online application and more information about VITA. Over a dozen sites are available for appointments.

If individuals would like to file their own federal and state tax returns for free, they can access MyFreeTaxes on the United Way of Southwest Louisiana site at unitedwayswla.org/vita and click on MyFreeTaxes.