Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is an IRS program that trains volunteers to help prepare tax returns free of charge for people who qualify based on income, individuals with disabilities, and taxpayers who are older adults.

To become a VITA Volunteer you must be at least 16 years of age. No experience is required, but tax return preparers will need a working knowledge of computers. Our tax software will help guide you every step of the way, or you can volunteer to be a greeter. We provide free training in December and January to help you learn everything that you need to know to file tax returns, and there is no liability for volunteers. You can decide how much and how often you would like to volunteer with flexible hours at our many locations across the community. Serving as a VITA volunteer is a great way to gain job experience, build your community service hours for school, or help out members of our community.

If you would like to volunteer, submit your contact information in the Volunteer Registration Form and you will receive volunteer information via your email. (We do not share your contact information with any third party or nonmember of the Coalition for Family Economic Progress.)

VITA training is free and provided by an IRS-certified instructor. You may choose in-person, virtual, or self-study options that will educate and prepare you for the tax season. All of our volunteer tests are open book. All of the reference and resource materials that we provide may be used to complete the test. Volunteers are asked to complete the test on their own. Training will take place in December and January.

We have four positions to offer and you may choose what best suits your skills and interests. Our Greeter greets everyone visiting the site to create a pleasant atmosphere. You will screen taxpayers to determine what type of assistance they need and confirm that they have the necessary documents to complete their tax returns. Tax-law certification is not required for this position. Site Administrators/Coordinators will need excellent organizational and leadership skills. You will be the primary resource for sharing your knowledge of the program and are available to assist with any issues that may arise. You will develop and maintain schedules for all volunteers to ensure adequate coverage, supplies and equipment at your site. Tax-law certification is required for this position. Tax Preparers will complete and successfully be certified in tax-law training, including the use of electronic filing software, to provide free tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers. Our Quality Reviewers review tax returns completed by volunteer tax preparers, ensuring that every taxpayer receives top quality service and that the tax returns are error-free. You must be tax-law certified at least at the intermediate level for this position.

VITA sites’ opening day varies by location.

You may volunteer as much as you’d like. We do ask that you volunteer a minimum of 30 hours for the tax season.

Your assistance will help hardworking families right here in our community to keep more of their money by helping them claim every tax benefit that they are entitled to. VITA can help boost a family’s yearly income by up to 30%. Last year, we helped file more than 10,000 free tax returns, bringing in $19.5 million dollars in refunds that local families were able to claim and put back into the local economy.

In addition to learning valuable tax-preparation skills, you can put this experience on your resume. It will help you to gain confidence and experience in the workplace and contribute to any community service hours that you may need for school. You’ll also be able to prepare your own tax refund with the knowledge that you gain from volunteering.

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