Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
Mission
The mission of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program is to provide free tax help to low- and moderate-income individuals and families, persons with disabilities and limited-English-speaking taxpayers in Washington, DC and neighboring counties in Maryland and Virginia who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. Essentially, VITA is tax counseling for the people who need it most!
We achieve this mission by:
Partnering with IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers at VITA sites to provide free tax-preparation assistance to individuals earning less than $57,000 in 2020.
About
If you earn less than $57,000 you may be eligible to have your tax returns filed for free and qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, IRS-certified volunteers provide free, basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax credit for people who work but earn below a certain amount. A tax credit usually means more money in your pocket because it reduces the amount of tax you owe, resulting in a bigger refund. The EITC is considered an important tool in lifting folks out of poverty.
While the Greater Washington Area has one of the highest percentages of eligible filers taking advantage of the credit, there are still thousands of households not receiving their maximum refund, either because they are unaware of the EITC, or don’t have access to the tax services to help them apply for it. United Way NCA raises awareness and provides access to free tax preparation or assisted self-filing services around the regions.
In collaboration with our community partners and VITA sites, we provide low-income residents with free tax-preparation assistance to help them maximize available credits and receive tax refunds. During 2018, we mobilized volunteer tax preparers to prepare over 14,000 returns. Through our partnership, we helped local families receive a total of $17.7 million in refunds.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
- Capital Area Asset Builders (CAAB)
- Prince George’s Community College
- Enterprise Development Group
- Catholic Charities
- United Planning Organization (UPO)
- Coalition for the Advancement of Financial Education Montgomery MD (CAFE Montgomery)
- Community Tax Aid
HOW TO HELP
Sign up here to volunteer at a local tax site.
VITA FAQs
- How do I find a tax site near me?
- How much does it cost?
- How can I promote my VITA site?