Proposed bill from Phila. Councilmember would require tax fee disclosure, offer free alternatives

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Tax season is now in full swing and before you pay someone to prepare your taxes, listen to this message from Philadelphia Councilmember Rue Landau.

"There are 240,000 Philadelphians were eligible for free tax preparation services, but only 25% of them take advantage of it, leaving millions of dollars on the table that could be in the pockets of Philadelphians," she said.

Landau has proposed a bill that would require commercial tax preparers to disclose their fees and provide free alternative options to potential customers.

"The average fee in Philadelphia is about $300, if not more, and it gets more expensive depending on how complicated somebody's taxes are," said Landau.

So, if you're eligible to get your taxes prepared for free, you need to take advantage of that.

Also, the Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the government's greatest anti-poverty initiatives. You can claim it if your income is low to moderate.