Did you know that many Americans can keep more of their money at tax time by getting free tax preparation from IRS-certified volunteer preparers? The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide programs provide free preparation — without upcharges or hidden fees — and serve taxpayers using rigorous IRS preparation standards and certified tax preparers.
About three dozen NeighborWorks network organizations serve as VITA sites. Molly Barackman-Eder, NeighborWorks' director of Financial Capability, has served as a volunteer herself.
"From the outside, serving as a VITA volunteer can look like it's about numbers and forms," she shares. "What you find once you go through the training and start working with customers is that a huge part of the role is being a responsive and reassuring presence for people who might feel flustered or tense about their finances."
At her first VITA training class, she recalls the instructors emphasized the importance of being human during tax preparation. "People are telling you, a stranger, about marriages, deaths, births, new jobs, and layoffs. Customers can feel very vulnerable while you're working on their tax return. You'll do a better job getting accurate information from them and giving meaningful information to them if you tune into their sentiment and invest in creating a safe space for them to open up."
VITA services are just one of the free financial services that NeighborWorks network organizations provide. Don't have a NeighborWorks network organization near you? The IRS VITA and AARP Tax Aide sites operate nationwide and offer many convenient options for free tax filing, including in-person service, online, mobile and drop-off options. Find a VITA or AARP Tax Aide site in your area.
There are also additional online resources that provide the same trusted support from IRS-certified preparers.
- GetYourRefund.org lets you upload pictures of your W-2s and other tax papers, so an IRS-certified tax preparer can complete your tax return for you and help you file your taxes. This service is free, and everything is taken care of over the internet. You never have to travel to a tax site or sit in a waiting room.
- Consumers can also use MyFreeTaxes.com to prepare and file their own tax returns with assistance from IRS-certified tax preparers.
Get the word out
You don't need to be a tax expert yourself to help people access free filing options. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has prepared resources to help you spread the word, including:- A flyer in English and Spanish.
- Social media content.
- Video resources.
- A web-based guide to filing your taxes in 2023.
Consider supporting your local VITA or Tax-Aide site as a volunteer
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tax preparer or assisting in other ways, you can sign up to volunteer through the IRS.gov tax volunteer page or the AARP Foundation's main page for Tax-Aide. You don't need to be a tax professional; people of all backgrounds are welcome to volunteer. Volunteers receive training to help taxpayers file accurate tax returns.NeighborWorks also provides financial capability training that touches on tax topics to community-serving professionals. At the upcoming NeighborWorks Training Institute (August 21-25 in Chicago), we'll offers courses such as:
- Building Skills for Financial Confidence (HO208).
- Designing and Delivering Impactful Financial Education (HO216).
- Financial Coaching: Helping Clients Reach Their Goals (HO310).
