Helping Colorado Families Claim What’s Already Theirs
Nathan Davis had seen a lot of tax returns come through the Mile High United Way’s Tax Help Colorado program. But this one was different.
A woman walked in last tax season after recently adopting her four grandnephews. She had earned about $18,000 that year. She came in expecting maybe a modest refund. What she left with was $27,000.
“Her refund on about $18,000 of income was $27,000 in tax refunds,” Davis told Denver7. “We more than doubled her income in an hour of volunteer time.”
She had no idea those credits existed. She had been filing on her own for years, probably leaving thousands on the table every single tax season.
Her story is not a fluke. In the 2025 season, Tax Help Colorado’s 525 volunteers helped 11,000 Colorado families file returns — resulting in $22.5 million in combined refunds. That is money that belonged to Colorado families all along.
In Aurora specifically, on February 21, 2026, Mile High United Way and KeyBank hosted Super Refund Saturday at the Tigria Community Center, free tax preparation for Aurora residents, focused entirely on making sure families claimed every dollar they were owed.
Christine Benero, President and CEO of Mile High United Way, put it plainly: “For many of these families, their refund check is the biggest check they receive all year,” she said in a February 2026 statement.
What Is the Average 2026 Tax Refund, and What Should Aurora Families Do With It? The average federal refund as of February 20, 2026 is $3,804 — up 10.2% from the same period in 2025. The smart order: pay off high-interest debt first, build a $1,000 emergency cushion, then set intentional goals before spending. The April 15, 2026 deadline applies to both federal and Colorado state returns. |
Why 2026 Tax Season Is More Complicated Than Last Year
Two major shifts affect Aurora families filing in 2026, and most people don’t know about either of them.
1. Colorado’s Family Affordability Tax Credit Was Shut Off
The Colorado Family Affordability Tax Credit (FATC), a state credit that provided up to $3,200 per child for families earning under $95,000, was effectively turned off for 2026. Why? Because federal changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut Colorado’s state tax revenue so sharply that the credit’s automatic trigger was not met.
According to the Sentinel Colorado (February 18, 2026), Colorado lawmakers are now pushing four new bills to create a replacement credit. State Sen. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat, is a lead sponsor. But for families filing right now in spring 2026, the original FATC is not available.
What this means for Aurora families: if you counted on that credit last year, run your numbers again. Your refund may be smaller than expected. The federal Child Tax Credit ($2,200 per child under H.R. 1) and the federal Earned Income Tax Credit still apply.
2. Refunds Are Still Larger Nationally, but Colorado TABOR Checks Are Shrinking
Nationally, refunds are up. The IRS reported $3,804 average refunds in early 2026, driven by One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes: no tax on tips (up to $25,000), no tax on overtime, higher standard deduction ($15,750 for single filers), and an increased Child Tax Credit.
At the state level, however, Colorado’s TABOR refund, a separate check that comes when state revenues exceed constitutional limits, is shrinking. FOX31 Denver reported that Colorado’s TABOR refund for 2026 will total only $293.3 million statewide, dramatically less than recent years, and state economists project no TABOR refund at all in 2027.
2026 Tax Numbers Aurora Families Need to Know $3,804 — Average federal refund as of Feb 20, 2026 (up 10.2% from 2025) | Source: IRS Note: Colorado TABOR refund amounts for 2026 are significantly reduced. |
Free Tax Help in Aurora Right Now
Before paying $150–$400 at a commercial preparer, Aurora families should know that free, IRS-certified help is available, and it often finds credits that paid preparers miss.
This February, the Colorado Department of Public Health relaunched its Get Ahead Colorado campaign specifically to connect families to free tax filing and a credit calculator. The campaign found that refundable tax credits have the potential to reduce child poverty in Colorado by 37% — but only if families actually file and claim them.
Aurora and Metro Free Filing Options
- Aurora Central High School VITA Site: 11700 E. 11th Avenue, Aurora — free tax prep in English and Spanish. Walk-ins welcome.
- Denver ABC — Wells Fargo Aurora: 9000 E. Colfax Avenue — free prep through April 15. No appointment required. English only.
- Community College of Denver (Tax Help Colorado): taxhelpco.org — Saturdays 8am–2pm through March 14, 2026.
- GetYourRefund.org: getyourrefund.org — Free remote tax prep by IRS-certified volunteers. Available for incomes under $69,000.
- IRS Free File: irs.gov/freefile — Free federal filing for households earning under $84,000.
- Get Ahead Colorado (bilingual): getaheadcolorado.org and haciaadelantecolorado.org — includes a free tax credit calculator.
What The District Credit Union Recommends Doing With Your Refund The refund order of operations: Step 1: Pay off your highest-interest debt (credit cards above 15% APR first) Set up direct deposit so your refund lands in your DCU account. Then call us: 303.360.0987 | districtcreditunion.com |
Your Annual Tax Season Prep Checklist
Save this checklist every year. The families who get the biggest refunds are the ones who prepare before January, not scramble in April.
Documents to Gather Before You File
- W-2 forms from every employer (mailed by January 31)
- 1099 forms (freelance, interest, dividends, retirement distributions)
- 1095-A if you had Marketplace health insurance
- Social Security cards or ITIN letters for every household member
- Childcare provider name, address, and Tax ID number
- Receipts for deductible expenses (student loan interest, charitable donations, business expenses)
- Last year’s tax return for reference and prior-year AGI
Credits to Check Before You File
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): irs.gov/eitc — Up to $8,046 for qualifying families. Many miss this.
- Child Tax Credit (CTC): $2,200 per qualifying child under H.R. 1 (2026)
- Child and Dependent Care Credit — costs for daycare or after-school care
- American Opportunity / Lifetime Learning Credit — for tuition and education costs
- Colorado EITC — state-level credit. Check tax.colorado.gov
- Colorado Family Affordability Tax Credit — check status at tax.colorado.gov (currently turned off for 2026, legislation pending)
Filing Decisions
- Choose e-file + direct deposit for fastest refund
- Compare filing status options: single vs. head of household can mean thousands of dollars
- If income was under $69,000 — use a free VITA site or IRS Free File, not a paid preparer
- Track your refund at irs.gov/refunds (federal) or Colorado Revenue Online (state)
- File by April 15, 2026 — or request an extension if needed (extension to file, NOT to pay)
After Your Refund Arrives
- Wait for the deposit to clear before making any spending decisions
- List every debt with interest rate. Pay highest rate first.
- Deposit emergency fund portion into a separate savings account the same day
- If you consistently get a large refund, adjust your W-4 withholding, that money could be working for you all year instead
- Use the IRS Withholding Estimator: irs.gov/estimator
Protect Yourself from Tax Scams
- The IRS will NOT call, text, or email you to demand payment
- Never pay a tax debt with gift cards or wire transfers
- Report tax fraud or suspicious contact: reportfraud.ftc.gov
The Bottom Line
That woman who walked into a Tax Help Colorado site with $18,000 in income and walked out with $27,000 in refunds? She didn’t get lucky. She got help. She got someone in her corner who knew the tax code well enough to find what she had been leaving on the table for years.
Aurora families, especially educators, APS staff, service workers, and anyone with children have real money sitting in credits they may not know they qualify for. File early. Use free resources. Get your questions answered before April 15.
The District Credit Union is here for your financial questions year-round. 751 Chambers Road, Aurora, CO 80011 | 303.360.0987 | districtcreditunion.com
Sources and Resources
All sources verified March 2026:
- Denver7: Volunteers Needed for Free Tax Filing Program at Mile High United Way — Source of $18,000/$27,000 refund story and Tax Help Colorado statistics
- Mile High United Way — Tax Help Colorado — 11,058 returns filed in 2025, $22.5M in refunds
- Yahoo Finance / Access Newswire: Super Refund Saturday Aurora (February 9, 2026) — KeyBank + Mile High United Way event at Tigria Community Center, Aurora
- Sentinel Colorado: Colorado Democrats Propose Family Tax Credit (February 18, 2026) — FATC shut off in 2026, Sen. Mike Weissman Aurora sponsorship
- Colorado CDPHE: Get Ahead Colorado Campaign (March 5, 2026) — 37% child poverty reduction potential from refundable credits
- FOX31 Denver (KDVR): Colorado TABOR Refunds 2026 — $293.3M TABOR distribution, declining projections
- IRS Filing Season Statistics 2026 — $3,804 average refund, 10.2% increase
- Denver7: Free Tax Prep Locations in the Denver Metro Area — Aurora Central High School and Denver ABC Aurora locations
- Free Tax Filing Resources: IRS Free File | Tax Help Colorado | Get Ahead Colorado | GetYourRefund.org
- CFPB Debt Repayment Calculator
- IRS Where’s My Refund (Federal)
- Colorado Revenue Online — State Refund Tracker
- IRS Withholding Estimator
- The District Credit Union