Economic Security
Tax Filing & Tax Credits: Informational Resources
Assisting young adults currently or formerly in foster care with filing their taxes can put hundreds to thousands of dollars in their pockets to cover basic necessities and more. With the California Foster Youth Tax Credit, youth may qualify for up to $1,154 when they file in 2025! JBAY has created several resources to assist young adults with tax filing, and provide guidance to those supporting young people to file.
The 2025 tax filing season started at the end of January and continues through October 2025. The first step is to make a plan and prepare to file. Once youth are ready to file, they can self-file for free (see JBAY’s self-filing guide below), or for one-on-one support they can visit a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site (see roster below) for free assistance.
Guides & Tools
WANT TO CONDUCT OUTREACH ABOUT FILING TAXES AND THE NEW FOSTER YOUTH TAX CREDIT?
California Foster Youth Tax Credit 2025 Outreach Flyer
This outreach flyer informs young adults age 18-25 about the availability of this new tax credit for current and former foster youth. It contains a link and QR code that directs youth to additional information.
Franchise Tax Board 2025 Outreach Materials – Posters, Flyers, Graphics
The Franchise Tax Board provides free Foster Youth Tax Credit posters and flyers. Use this order form to order up to 20 free posters and 100 free flyers.
Social Media Toolkit (2025)
This Toolkit is designed to assist you with getting the word out via social media to transition-age youth about the California Foster Youth Tax Credit.
WANT TO CONDUCT A “TAXES 101” WORKSHOP FOR YOUNG ADULTS?
Taxes 101 Workshop Curriculum (2025)
This “Taxes 101” training curriculum is designed to educate young adults currently or formerly in foster care about filing taxes, with the goal of assisting them with accessing the Foster Youth Tax Credit and more. The curriculum includes a PowerPoint slide deck and trainer’s guide so that any program serving young adults can deliver the training.
WANT TO KNOW HOW TO HELP YOUNG ADULTS PREPARE FOR A FILING THEIR TAXES?
Tax Prep Checklist for Transition-Age Youth (2025)
This checklist assists youth with gathering the necessary personal information and documents in preparation for filing their taxes to ensure youth file with confidence and maximize their cash back refund. The checklist includes free tax filing options.
KNOW A YOUNG ADULT WHO WANTS TO FILE TAXES ON THEIR OWN FOR FREE, WITHOUT A PREPARER?
Choose from two resources below:
A Step-By-Step Guide to Filing Your Own Taxes (slidedeck format)
Updated version for 2025 coming soon
This resource provides steps and pictures to help young adults start and finish their state and federal tax returns, and makes sure they claim the California Foster Youth Tax Credit.
OR
Interactive Self-Filing Tool (2024)
Updated version for 2025 coming soon
JBAY and iFoster have partnered to create a virtual, interactive self-filing tool to help young adults start and finish their state and federal tax returns, and makes sure they claim the California Foster Youth Tax Credit.
KNOW A YOUNG ADULT WHO WANTS FREE ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE FROM A TAX PREPARER?
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Roster (2025)
VITA sites provide free one-on-one tax filing assistance. This roster provides a list of sites that exclusively assist current and former foster youth, general VITA sites that have taken training on assisting foster youth and claiming the FYTC, and general sites that have not undergone training but are available to assist.
KNOW A YOUNG ADULT WHO IS VISITING A PAID TAX PREPARER?
California Foster Youth Tax Credit: Information for Professional Tax Preparers
Paid tax preparers often miss the Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC). This one-page resource educates and informs professional tax preparers about the FYTC to ensure that eligible young adults they assist do not miss out on the money they are owed. **Remember, there are free options to consider before visiting a paid preparer, and paid preparers are more error prone than VITA sites.**
NEED GUIDANCE TO ASSIST YOUNG ADULTS WITH IMPORTANT STEPS AFTER THEY FILE?
What To Do After You File Your Taxes: Guidance for Current & Former Foster Youth (2025)
This guide walks young adults through important steps after filing their taxes, including checking their refund status, setting up payment plans if needed, troubleshooting issues such as identity theft, or someone incorrectly claiming them on their tax return.
Reports, Fact Sheets & Webinars
RECENT PRACTICE WEBINARS
Foster Youth & Tax Filing: Helping Youth Prepare, File & Follow Through (2025)
For county child welfare agencies and community partners
Helping Foster Youth Students File Taxes and Claim the Foster Youth Tax Credit: A Training for College Campus Personnel (2025)
For college campus personnel assisting students
VITA for Foster Youth: A Virtual Training on the California Foster Youth Tax Credit and Assisting Foster Youth Clients (2025)
For Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. All sites that take this training will be listed on JBAY’s VITA roster. If you would like your site listed on the roster, view the training then follow this link to provide your site’s information.
REPORTS & WEBINARS ON IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS
Gaining Momentum: How the Foster Youth Tax Credit Performed in 2024 (2024)
This report and webinar summarize findings from the second year of implementation of the California Foster Youth Tax Credit.
California’s Historic Tax Credit for Foster Youth: Assessing Progress in its Inaugural Year (2023)
This report and webinar summarize the progress achieved in the first year of implementation of the California Foster Youth Tax Credit.
Pilot to Practice: Lessons from Six Counties to Achieve Full Implementation of California’s New Foster Youth Tax Credit (2022)
This publication shares the results of a pilot project conducted in 2022 with six counties and their local partners to increase foster youth receipt of state and federal tax credits.
Money in the Pocket During the Pandemic (2021)
This publication shares the results of a pilot project conducted in 2021 with Santa Clara County Social Services Agency and other local partners to increase foster youth receipt of state and federal tax credits.
FACT SHEET
How Tax Filing Benefits Foster Youth (2022)
This fact sheet describes nine ways tax filing benefits young adults currently or formerly in foster care in California. Available in English and Spanish.