Do you need assistance in preparing your tax returns? Great news–You don’t have to fret over tax season again! Have you heard of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program? If not, I will share with you the benefits of the program below. For those who already know about this program, please share my blog post with others who you know that could benefit from the program.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA): Offers free tax help (January through April only) to individuals and families who earned $54,000 or less in that tax filing year (i.e., 2016), persons with disabilities, and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own taxes.

The Program Staff: The program is staffed with IRS-certified volunteers who provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals.

VITA Location Sites: The VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations across the country.

Elderly Tax Services: In addition to the VITA, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for all taxpayers who are 60 years and better in age specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. The IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax counseling are often retired individuals associated with non-profit organizations that receive grants from the IRS. When looking for a TCE site, please keep in mind that a majority of the TCE sites are operated by the AARP Foundation’s Tax Aide Program. To locate the nearest AARP TCE Tax-Aide site between January and April only, check their AARP Tax-Aide Site Locator Tool or call 888-227-7669.

Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) Service: You can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in-person using the services of an IRS-authorized Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA). This will prevent you from having to mail your proof of identity and foreign status documents. After processing, the IRS will mail your ITIN to you allowing you to file your Form 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ tax returns. Some VITA sites offer CAA Services as the IRS works collaboratively with community based organizations and non-profits to offer the services of Certifying Acceptance Agents (CAA). You may contact the IRS VITA partners to schedule an appointment for CAA services. Click here to see if there is a VITA partner in your area that offers CAA services.

Additional Options: At select tax sites, taxpayers also have the option to prepare their own basic federal and state tax return for free using Web-based tax preparation software with an IRS-certified volunteer for assisted guidance, if needed. *This option is only available at locations that list “Self-Prep” in the site listing!

What to Do Before Going to a VITA or TCE site:

  1. Read Publication 3676-B for services provided; and
  2. Read What to Bring page to ensure you have all the required documents and information that the volunteers will need to help you.

Click here to Find a VITA or TCE Site Near You !

Recent Statistics: Last year’s tax season in Northern Virginia, the VITA program helped 5,886 families with low income receive more than $9.6 million in refunds and saved them more than $1.1 million in professional filing fees.

*Resources: www.irs.gov, www.aarp.org, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta