Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, sponsored by the IRS, has provides free, confidential tax preparation for individuals and families earning $69,000 or less. Returns are prepared by IRS-certified volunteers and reviewed for accuracy, helping you claim the credits and refunds you deserve, at no cost. If you need help filing your taxes or have questions, please see our contact information below.
During the Tax Season (January - April 15th):
VITA Call Center
330-994-8482
After the Tax Season (April 16th - January):
Ashleigh Crum, VITA Program Manager
330-491-9960
The Impact of VITA
For over a decade, United Way of Greater Stark County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has helped thousands of individuals and families file their taxes accurately and at no cost. Trained volunteers ensure clients receive all the tax creds and deductions they qualify for, maximizing refunds and reducing stress during the tax season.
On average, clients save about $350 per return by choosing VITA instead of a paid preparer, keeping more money in their pockets!
Volunteer
Join the VITA team and help families in our community keep more of what they earn!
- Flexible time commitment: 4-15 hours a week
- Convenient volunteer locations: Stark and Carroll County
- Opportunities for CPE/CLE credit
Types of VITA Volunteer Opportunities
Greeter:
- First point of contact for clients
- Welcomes clients and checks IDs, Social Security cards, and bank information
- Guides clients to start their forms
Intake/Interviewer:
- Reviews client documents and helps with paperwork
- Answers basic questions or refers to the site coordinator for complex ones
- Ensures the client is ready for tax preparation
Tax Preparer:
- Prepares tax returns using TaxSlayer software
- Reviews other preparers’ returns for accuracy
- Certification options: Basic or Advanced
Contact our VITA Program Manager at [email protected] for more information or fill out the VITA volunteer application below!
VITA Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify for VITA?
VITA helps people with low-to-moderate income get their taxes filed for free. When you call in, we will ask what your total income was for the filing year and let you know if your income is above the threshold. If you are not eligible to file through VITA, MyFreeTaxes is a free and secure online filing tool for anyone who does not meet VITA’s criteria.
Why should I file my taxes?
Even if you do not owe, filing can put money back in your pocket through the help of various credits and deductions when you file! Some important credits many families should keep in mind are the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit.
What should I bring to my VITA appointment?
- Proof of Identification - Picture ID
- Social Security cards for you, your spouse & dependents
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number
- Birth dates for you, your spouse & dependents
- Wage & earning statements(s) from all employers (Form W-2 & 1099)
- Interest and dividend statement(s) from all banks (Form 1099)
- A copy of last year's federal and state returns, if available
- Copy of blank check or other proof of bank information for direct deposit
- Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's social security number or business EIN
Join Us
Together, we connect the families in our most vulnerable neighborhoods with resources and programs to help them succeed and thrive.