The United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona will launch its annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program on Feb. 1 with COVID-19 protocols in place.
To assist taxpayers, free and professional filing assistance will be available through United Way for individuals and families earning up to $66,000 annually.
The VITA program has partnered with GetYourRefund.org to offer its tax support from IRS-certified volunteers entirely online. This online system will help the VITA program reach more taxpayers, process returns more efficiently, and ensure the health and safety of volunteers and community members.
VITA will also be offered at 12 tax return preparation sites in the Tucson area operated by Pio Decimo Center that will use a variety of social distancing methods and safety measures, such as curbside assistance and drive-up appointments.
VITA tax preparation helps taxpayers maximize their refunds and saves an average of $250 per return. The program helps taxpayers access all tax credits for which they are eligible .
In 2020, VITA volunteers completed 13,894 tax returns for Arizonans. Those returns resulted in $23 million in refunds. Many Southern Arizonans also utilized the online service GetYourRefund.org last year when the program first helped keep VITA services available in the face of COVID-19.
VITA is led by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, in collaboration with Catholic Community Services, and partners throughout northern and western Arizona. The collaborative serves nine of Arizona’s 15 counties. VITA volunteers must complete an intense IRS-sponsored certification program every year, and most return year after year.
Access United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s online VITA services: GetYourRefund.org/uwtsa
In-person Pio Decimo sites include locations around Tucson, in Green Valley and Sahuarita.
Those seeking quality tax preparation assistance at no cost should visit www.unitedwaytucson.org/vita for complete information about locations, schedules and required documents.
