By SALINA POST
You can make a difference this tax season by becoming a VITA volunteer!
The Salina Area United Way is seeking 30 volunteers for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
A VITA volunteer information meeting is scheduled for noon on Jan. 19 in the Salina Area United Way, 113 N. Seventh Street, Suite 201. Led by staff and previous year’s preparers, this meeting is also an opportunity to meet returning VITA volunteers.
“I’m proud of our volunteers who assisted in preparing over 950 tax returns last year,” said the local United Way's Brenda Gutierrez.
RSVP for the meeting by contacting the Salina Area United Way at 785-827-1312 or [email protected].
Volunteers will serve as intake screeners and tax preparers, according to information from the local United Way. VITA volunteers help low-to-moderate income individuals and families organize the paperwork to apply for Earned Income Tax Credits and other eligible tax credits. The program serves Saline County and the surrounding area.
According to the United Way, volunteers need not have prior tax preparation or accounting experience.
"Tax preparer training and certification cover basic income tax law for federal and state returns. Volunteers will have self-study materials online and achieve IRS Certification appropriate for the volunteer position through online testing," the United Way noted in a news release.
Additionally, the local VITA program helps bring a substantial amount of money back into Saline County and surrounding communities, the Salina Area United Way reported. Trained VITA volunteers identify tax credits when assisting with returns for persons making generally $56,000 or below.