United Way Helps Americans Reach Financial Security

According to the most recent ALICE data, 21% of Oconee households fall below the ALICE threshold, and 18% of our county's households fall under the Federal Poverty Level. Falling below the ALICE threshold means these households are unable to afford the basics, let alone build their savings and achieve financial security. Wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing, healthcare, and education. Currently, 40 million Americans are working in low-paying jobs without basic health and retirement benefits. For families walking a financial tightrope, unable to save for college, a home, or retirement, United Way is here to help.

Our Strategy

To address financial security, United Way of Oconee County operates a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA is a FREE tax preparation program in partnership with the IRS that is offered to individuals and families with an annual household income of $65,000 or less. This includes many seniors and low-to-moderate income families. VITA helps eliminate tax preparation fees and cash advances, keeping more money in the taxpayer's homes and in our community. You can view the most recent VITA report here to see the impact this program is making in Oconee, including the $75,800 Oconee' s VITA clients saved in tax preparation fees in the 2024 tax season. For VITA appointments, you can call the appointment center at (864)-382-3326.

MyFreeTaxes is also brought to you by United Way and helps people file their federal and state taxes for free. For more information, please visit MyFreeTaxes.com.

How You Can Help

Volunteers make United Way's tax assistance program possible. We need your help, even if you don’t have an accounting background. Join our awesome VITA team today! Use the Contact Us form or call (864)-882-9743 ext. 108 to let us know you are interested.