IRS seeks Utah volunteers to help provide free tax help during filing season

Stock image, St. George News

SALT LAKE CITY  Utah Tax Help, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and the Internal Revenue Service are looking for volunteers to train for the upcoming income tax filing season to provide free tax help and tax return preparation.

“The IRS works closely with key partners like Utah Tax Help,” IRS spokeswoman Karen Connelly said. “People of all ages and backgrounds are welcome to volunteer. There is a role for anyone who is interested and wants to help give back to their community.”

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax preparation to people with low-to-moderate income that need help preparing their tax returns. This includes those with disabilities and senior citizens. Many sites are able to assist those for whom English is a second language.

During the 2018 filing season, 684 volunteers with Utah Tax Help prepared 19,644 tax returns, generating $20.2 million in tax refunds and $6.4 million of the Earned Income tax Credit being made available to local individuals and families.

Volunteering can be exciting, educational and enjoyable. Here are a few good reasons to consider signing up to help:

  • No previous experience required.
  • IRS provides free tax-law training.
  • Tax professionals (enrolled agents and certified public accountants) can earn continuing education credits.
  • Flexible volunteer hours.
  • Various volunteer locations.

Volunteers greet taxpayers and help organize their paperwork, electronically file both federal and Utah State Tax Commission tax returns, set up and keep computer equipment running, manage tax sites and handle quality control.

Online and classroom training is available and will take place in late November through January. Once certified, volunteers can spend as little as three to four hours per week volunteering in late January, February, March and April.

For more information or to volunteer, visit the Utah Tax Help website.

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2 Comments

  • NickDanger November 27, 2018 at 8:26 am

    IRS seeks volunteers? How about instead of asking for volunteers, they use some of that MONEY we all send them every year and hire some people? What is this, Soviet Russia? We’re not communists here, if the IRS needs help, they need to create a few jobs instead of begging for free workers while they annually process the single biggest kitty in the planet’s history annually.

    And before you start with me, yes I know the IRS doesn’t get to keep all the money and that they are on a tight budget of their own. And I know there are poor people who need help with taxes and it’s a legitimately helpful thing to do.

    But really, the irony of the IRS asking for volunteers is just too…I mean…seriously though…I just can’t.

  • KR567 November 28, 2018 at 9:33 am

    I do my own taxes…no thanks

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