Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and community partners on Friday morning launched the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an annual initiative that provides free tax preparation for qualifying individuals and families throughout the greater Chattanooga region.
“The VITA program is critical for individuals and families who would otherwise face significant difficulties navigating the tax process,” said Urban League President and CEO, Candy Johnson. “We know tax preparation can be very confusing to navigate, particularly for our disadvantaged residents. We deeply appreciate our community partners and dedicated volunteers for assisting thousands of individuals and families through what can be a daunting process.”
Last year, the organization completed 11,760 tax returns for individuals throughout the area, saving taxpayers a collective amount of over $3.8 million. Additionally, taxpayers who filed through the VITA program in Chattanooga received over $14.8 million dollars in returns.
“For many families, tax season can feel like a significant financial burden,” said Val Palmer, VITA program coordinator. “Our mission in 2021 is to help break down the barriers of this process while adjusting how we operate to make sure our clients, volunteers and staff are safe.”
This year’s program will be socially distanced to abide by COVID-19 safety guidelines. Participants will arrive at one of 13 VITA locations, stay in their cars as they drop off forms and return after a volunteer has completed their tax returns.
Volunteers participate in training courses on the topics of tax law, tax return preparation and tax preparation software. The training is followed by an online course for further review and understanding. Volunteers are then tested on what they have learned to become certified tax preparers.
Applications are now open for Chattanooga-area residents who qualify for the program. Individuals and households whose incomes were less than $58,000 last year may qualify for free tax preparation. Others that may qualify are persons with disabilities, United Way members, seniors, retirees and limited English speaking taxpayers.
Guests will need to bring all of their tax documents such as W2 forms, 1099-S forms, Social Security Cards for all children, valid photo identification, Affordable Care Act Statements, 1095-A forms and home mortgage statements. Each VITA site will have free information on tax documents, the Earned Income Tax Credit, IRS updates and the VITA locations list. On average, VITA saves approximately $165 in filing and processing fees that would have been spent with a paid taxing service.
There are 13 VITA locations where taxpayers can drop off their paperwork.
VITA is sponsored by the IRS, city of Chattanooga, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, UTExtension and Tennessee America Saves. For more information about VITA and a list of filing locations and times, please visit www.ulchatt.net/vita-tax-resources or call the Urban League at 756-1762, 311 or 211. Additionally, informational tax preparation videos can be found at www.ulchatt.net or on the Chattanooga Urban League’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.