IRS needs volunteers for no-cost tax services for tax season

The Internal Revenue Service and its community partners are seeking volunteers to support the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs.

VITA and TCE sites are generally available for individuals and families who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and help such populations as persons with disabilities, limited English speakers, senior citizens and others. Volunteers range from high school students to retirees. 

Anyone looking to gain professional experience while helping their community is encouraged to sign up:

• No experience necessary. The IRS offers free specialized training to volunteers.
• Flexible hours and locations. Hours are generally available at night and on weekends.
• Variety of volunteer roles. Available volunteer positions are not limited to tax preparation and can include greeters, marketing specialists and IT troubleshooters.

Tax professionals can earn CPE credits. The VITA/TCE program is approved to provide IRS CPE credits for Enrolled Agents, noncredentialed tax preparers and the California Tax Education Council and Registered Tax Preparers.
The IRS encourages interested individuals to sign up from October through January to volunteer at a local VITA/TCE site this filing season. Volunteers who sign up after January will have their information kept on file for the next filing season. Those who signed up within the last two months do not need to sign up again unless their contact information has changed.

More info is available at IRS.gov/volunteers or volunteers can sign up today using the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up. Approximately 14 days after signing up, the IRS will provide a list of local VITA/TCE sites and an invitation to a virtual orientation.