Free Tax Assistance
Free tax assistance is typically available for those who made less than $53,000 in the last year, as well as taxpayers who are disabled, elderly, or English language learners. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs offer lower-income taxpayers a free alternative to more costly, and often predatory, tax preparation services. VITA sites are IRS-sponsored and are closely monitored by the agency, giving them a far lower error rate than many self- and paid- tax preparation services. The programs also help to raise awareness of working family tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (TCT) and ensure that every worker eligible receives the credits they earned.
In 2014, volunteer income tax preparers helped return nearly $4 billion to taxpayers and their families across the nation. More information about VITA can be found on the IRS VITA website.
If you are interesting in supporting these vital community programs, you can learn more about becoming a VITA preparer here.