If you're struggling to stay on top of your bills, this Take Charge Thursday is a time to remind you that if you make under $49,000 a year, you are eligible for free tax return help thanks to an IRS program and thousands of volunteers.

VITA, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, is a program that has helped thousands in Michiana over the years. Please call 211 to get started or click on the Big Red Bar for ways to schedule an appointment and get your taxes filed for free.

To qualify for the program, you will need your W-2 forms, a social security card, an identification card, and any other financial statements.

Twelve sites across Michiana will host volunteers trained by the IRS.

In St. Joseph County, the demand has been rising as folks have found out about the program and the economy has worsened.

"Our first season, we had fifty-six people come in, and have their taxes done, we thought that was great, we were overwhelmed with that, but last year we did over 800 tax returns in the community,” said Mark Todd, a volunteer.

In Elkhart, Dave Mates knows firsthand what it’s like to benefit from the free tax return service.

“I’ve been out of work since 2009, and my unemployment's close to running out,” Mates said. "A lot of people think they know how to do taxes, and when it comes down to it, they don't,” he added.

What the volunteers try to do is make sure you are getting every tax credit for which you qualify – from Earned Income Tax Credit to the Child Tax Credit -- and they provide other financial advice, as well.