BY: MEDIA ADVISORY | United Way of Palm Beach County
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — United Way of Palm Beach County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is looking for 200 volunteers to help provide free tax services throughout Palm Beach County to households with an annual income of $68,000 or less.
This is an impactful opportunity for CPAs, retired professionals, college students, or anyone interested in accounting and finance. Also needed are volunteers who are bilingual in Spanish or Creole. Volunteers age 16 or older may serve as site greeters and earn community service hours.
To continue to provide this critical service to our community and maintain COVID-19 safety standards, United Way of Palm Beach County will adhere to CDC guidelines throughout the program.
Volunteers will receive training to become IRS-certified tax preparers. All volunteers are asked to provide a minimum of four hours a week from January 18 – April 18, 2022, at one of the several VITA sites in the county. CPAs are not required to undergo the IRS training but must pass the IRS certification test.
The VITA program helps Palm Beach County taxpayers save over $1.2 million in fees they would have paid had they used a tax-preparation service. Additionally, research shows that taxpayers receiving refunds through returns processed at VITA sites used the money to achieve financial stability – to pay off debt, invest in education or housing, or open a bank account.
Last year, this program helped process more than 7,800 income tax returns for lower income households resulting in upwards of $3.2 million in Earned Income Tax Credits and $13 million in tax returns. A program such as VITA not only helps individuals and families in our community, but it also helps our local economy. Since 2004, VITA has returned approximately $255 million to our community.
Partners of the VITA Program include IRS, 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners – The Department of Community Services, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Third Federal.
To volunteer, call 561-375-6618 or email Nubia Ortega at volunteer@unitedwaypbc.org.
