The City of Phoenix needs your help to save taxpayers hundreds of dollars on filing their taxes. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be an accountant or a math whiz to give back to your community. The City’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will provide all the training you need to help low-to-limited-income individuals and families file their returns for free.
VITA volunteers help educate taxpayers about their returns and make sure they claim every deduction and credit available. Over the last 18 years, VITA volunteers have assisted Phoenix residents in obtaining over $100 million dollars in tax refunds.
VITA volunteers are certified by the IRS to prepare basic tax returns or help taxpayers complete their own taxes using free do-it-yourself VITA tax software. But we need more than just tax preparers to volunteer. Greeters are the friendly faces who welcome residents to their appointment. We need Screeners to help make sure taxpayers are eligible for free tax preparation and that they have all the necessary documents to file. Our Site Coordinators organize and supervise all VITA sites and volunteers. And, if you’re bilingual, we really need you! Interpreters help provide tax preparation assistance to clients who speak languages other than English.
“There are many personal and professional benefits to becoming a VITA volunteer,” said Julie Bordelon, VITA Program Coordinator. “Our team members give back to the community, interact with people, make friends, and network. You’ll learn new skills that can help build your resume to get a job or grow your career. Plus, you’ll save money. If you become IRS certified, you’ll never have to pay someone else to do your taxes for you.”
Volunteering for VITA doesn’t require a huge time commitment and comes with a flexible schedule. We ask that you volunteer for a minimum of four hours per week during tax season from mid-January through mid-April. The training is free and available online to complete at your own pace. You can become a volunteer with as little as 8 hours of training and get IRS certified with 24 hours of training.
Ready to sign up and work with our VITA team? Register for the next Virtual Information Session on November 8, 2022. from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Register here.
