Jamestown, NY - Volunteers are needed for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites. The Chautauqua County VITA Coalition works with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free, basic income tax preparation services to community members with low-to-moderate incomes. Trained volunteer tax preparers explain credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and help individuals complete and electronically file their tax returns—all for FREE. Refunds can be deposited directly into a bank account within 7-10 days.
By volunteering, you can help boost a family’s yearly income by up to 35 percent and have a direct impact on the lives of working families and the communities in which they live.
No experience is necessary. All volunteers will receive training appropriate for their position. Volunteers would receive the materials for self- study on basic income tax law for federal and state returns. In addition, several specific training sessions will take place beginning in November through mid-January 2020. Volunteers are covered under the Volunteer Protection Act and are not accountable for tax returns filed to the IRS.
If you would like to help, but don’t think tax preparation is for you, we do need volunteers for other positions:
VITA TAX PREPARER: If you are good with numbers, computers, and forms, this is the job for you. As a tax preparer, you will prepare tax returns for low-income VITA clients using IRS E-File software.
VITA SITE SUPPORT: Greet and orient clients, photocopy and assemble tax returns, or provide administrative, operational, and computer (hardware/software) support.
TRANSLATORS (The greatest need is for translators fluent in Spanish)
VITA needs volunteer translators for clients who speak English as a second language
For more information, or to sign up and make a difference in someone’s life, call the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County, (716) 483-1561.