1. Set Up Your MyTax Account
You must establish a MyTax IL account prior to participating in this program. In order to set up your MyTax IL account, you will need to acquire a letter ID. The letter ID is a pin number assigned to you by the state of Illinois. For security purposes, this letter ID is sent to you via US mail. If you previously set up a MyTax account, you can skip this step and begin at Step 2.
- Go to: MyTax.Illinois.gov
- Click on INDIVIDUALS (blue button on left side)
- Under Miscellaneous, select Request a Letter ID
- Enter your social security number, driver’s license number, and email address
A letter ID will be sent to you via US mail. Once you receive your letter ID, you can proceed to step two.
2. Reserve Your Tax Credit
Once you have established your MyTax IL account, you can reserve your tax credit.
- Log in to your MyTax Illinois account at MyTax.Illinois.gov
- Click on INDIVIDUAL (blue button on left side).
- Under the “I want to” section (far right) click on “Contribute to Invest in Kids”
Information you will need to complete step 2:
Region: 2
Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO): Empower Illinois
Amount: full amount of contribution (not tax credit amount)
3. Retrieve your Contribution Authorization Certificate (CAC) from MyTax Illinois
- Log out and log back into your MyTax Illinois account.
- Click on: Correspondence
- Click on: Unread Letters
- Your Contribution Authorization Certificate (CAC) should appear unless you are unable to access it due to a computer pop-up block.
- Save the CAC to your computer so that you will be able to upload it to Empower Illinois.
- If you are contributing via check, print both pages of the CAC to include with your contribution.
4. Contribute to Empower Illinois
Once you have your CAC, you are ready to make your donation with Empower Illinois.
- Go to: donations.empowerillinois.org/donations
- Click on: “I have my certificate”
Information you will need to complete step 4:
Your Contribution Authorization Certificate number and saved CAC document
Region: 2
You are making a contribution as an: Individual
Designee: Wheaton Academy
Donor Authorization: check box #3 only
Please do not check box #1 or #2 or your full contribution may not be designated to Wheaton Academy students.