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Volunteers, Computers Needed to Assist Low-Income Families Prepare Tax Returns, File for Earned Income Tax Credit

By Nonprofit Marketing ArizonaOctober 16, 2017
Volunteers, Computers Needed to Assist Low-Income Families Prepare Tax Returns, File for Earned Income Tax Credit

Volunteers are needed to help prepare tax returns, including filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), for low-to-moderate income individuals and families in Maricopa County.  No experience is necessary because volunteers receive free specialized training and materials.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program also needs 27 laptop computers (Intel Core i5 or better, no earlier than 5th generation; 4GBs of memory, Windows 7 or 10 Pro)

Volunteers will learn how to prepare basic tax returns and receive information about tax deductions and credits that benefit eligible taxpayers including EITC, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly.

Volunteers generally serve an average of three to five hours per week with the primary time frame from mid-January through the April tax-filing deadline.  Several VITA sites are open all year.  The IRS also needs volunteers to provide tax help to military personnel and their families.

Tax professionals can earn Continuing Education Credits when volunteering as a VITA or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) instructor, quality reviewer or tax return preparer.

In 2016, the VITA Maricopa Network, including the Mesa United Way, filed 18,725 returns, saving taxpayers nearly $4.7 million in tax-preparation fees.

In 2013, the refundable EITC tax credit helped lift nearly 6.2 million Americans and almost 3.2 million children out of poverty

For more information about how to become a VITA and TCE volunteer, call the Arizona Community Action Association at (602) 604-0640, emailinfo@azcaa.org or visit www.azcaa.org.