Free Tax Prep

Free tax preparation services are available week days, evenings and Saturdays during tax season.  Services are provided by IRS-certified volunteers. Whether you qualify depends on your household income and on how complicated your tax return is.  Beginning in January, you can find out if you’re eligible and get an appointment by calling 2-1-1. 

Information for Volunteers regarding the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.

Volunteers prepare basic returns using computer software. You would be paired with another volunteer (ideally all the time, but especially at the beginning) and you would be required to check each other’s work. As a volunteer, you are not legally responsible for any errors you might make, but we do place a high emphasis on quality. We have a system in place where each return is checked twice. You will also always have on-site supervision so you’d always have someone to ask questions of (as well as reference materials).

You must become IRS-certified by passing a test that the IRS provides. We also require you to take training in the state tax law and get some practice with the software. There is an online training option (federal tax only) which will likely be available in November. You can go through the material at your leisure that way. You can also study on your own via the web (more information below). If you did the online or self-study options, you’d still need to come to the portion of the classroom training that covers the state tax information and the software practice. There is no test for the state tax or software portions of the training.

Once you get through the training, we are really flexible on how often you volunteer, but suggest a minimum of 2 hrs/week so that you have a chance to really become comfortable and practiced at tax prep. We hope that you will be able to commit to the whole tax season (Late Jan.-early April) but can be flexible with that as well.  Also, we do require a background check for all volunteers.

In the meantime, training is available year round at www.irs.gov, keyword search: link&learn.  The updated tax law changes are usually made the beginning of October, but you could start the material now and just review the changes when they are made.  You must pass a test to become certified which will be available when the changes are made.  There is training material that goes along with the course.  I can send you out the current material (or you can pick it up) if you think you want to start it before the updates are made — you would need to be sure to get the updated material when that comes out.  Let me know if you want the material now. 

For questions on locating a tax site, volunteering, or for general inquires please contact Grant Peterson, (802) 859-1046 or email Grant.c.peterson@irs.gov