The 2025 tax season will be the third year that current and former foster youth ages 18-25 can claim the California Foster Youth Tax Credit on their state tax return. On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) will host a 2025 tax season kick-off training, geared toward county child welfare agencies and their community partners.

The virtual training will equip attendees with resources and information for helping nonminor dependents and former foster youth learn about, prepare for, and file their state and federal taxes. In 2024, current and former foster youth who filed their taxes received an average of $1,370 for single filers and $5,265 for parenting (head of household) filers.

The training will include a review of JBAY’s “Taxes 101” workshop curriculum for youth, available to Independent Living Programs, housing and service providers, and any other individuals or organizations interested in hosting an in-person or virtual tax education and preparation workshop for youth. The training will also discuss how to conduct outreach, how to host self-filing events, how to refer youth to Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites, and how to help youth utilize JBAY’s self-filing guide.