Goodwill of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas

Volunteer Services

VITA - Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

1.   What is Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) Program?


2.   What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?


3.   Who is eligible to receive services?


4.   What types of tax returns will a VITA Site prepare?


5.   What are the hours of operation of Goodwill's VITA Site and where is it located?


6.   What items do I bring to the VITA appointment?


7.   What can do I expedite receiving my refund?


8.   How many clients were served during the last tax filing season?


9.   What do I need to do to volunteer at a VITA Site?


10.   How can I support or sponsor the Goodwill's VITA Site?


11.   What resources can I access to learn more about the VITA Program?

Download VITA Flyer

1. VITA Program

In partnership with United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Goodwill's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides FREE, FAST and CONVENIENT tax preparation services to eligible tax payers. The primary goal of the VITA Program is to increase the number of eligible working families claiming and receiving the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). At Goodwill's VITA Site, income tax returns are prepared by IRS-certified volunteers at no cost and free electronic filing is available. Tax payers utilizing the VITA Site can count on being served in a friendly and professional manner.


Photos from the Tax Preparation Event at the Riviera Vegas Mobile Home Park

2. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), sometimes called the Earned Income Credit (EIC), is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families. Enacted by Congress in 1975, EITC is intended to offset the burden of social security taxes and to provide an incentive to work.

To qualify, taxpayers must have earned income during the tax year. Earned income includes wages, salaries, tips, union strike benefits, employer-paid disability benefits, military combat pay, and taxable scholarships or fellowship grants. To claim the EITC, an individual must file a tax return, even if they did not earn enough money to be obligated to file a tax return.

• If you have three or more qualifying children and your earned income was less than $43,279 ($48,279 if married filing jointly), you may be eligible for as much as $5,657 in EITC
• If you have two qualifying children and your earned income was less than $40,295 ($45,295 if married filing jointly), you may be eligible for as much as $5,028 in EITC
• If you have one qualifying child and your earned income was less than $35,463 ($40,463 if married filing jointly), you may be eligible for as much as $3,043 in EITC
• If you had no children at home last year and your earned income was less than $13,440 ($18,440 if married filing jointly) and you were age 25-64, you may be eligible for as much as $457 in EITC

3. Eligibility

The VITA Site is intended to help those tax payers for whom paid tax preparation assistance may be out of reach. You are eligible for free tax preparation if your annual household income was less than $49,000 in 2009.

4. Types of Income Tax Returns Prepared

5. Goodwill's VITA Site Hours of Operation and Location

Goodwill's VITA Site will operate from January 19, 2010 through April 15, 2010. Goodwill's VITA Site is available by appointment only. You must call first to schedule an appointment in order to be served.

6. Items You Must Bring to Your Tax Appointment

• Social Security Cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) for you, your spouse, and all of your dependents
• Proof of identification for you and your spouse (photo I.D., driver's license, passport, or other official I.D. card)
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and any dependents you claim
• All wage and earning statements (W-2, 1099-R, etc.)
• Interest/dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• For itemized deductions, please bring W2's, 1098 (Mortgage Statement), 1099's (Dividends, Interests, Misc (self-employed), Student Loan Statement, Property Tax Statement.
• Copy of prior year's Federal and State tax returns
• Bank Account Numbers and Routing Numbers for Direct Deposit (a checking or savings account); not a deposit slip
• Total amounts paid to day-care providers, and the provider's Social Security Number or Employer Identification Number
• Any information about other income, deductions, and credits
• If you are filing a joint return, both you and your spouse must be present to sign the return

7. Fast Refunds

Site will submit your taxes electronically at no cost to you. If you are eligible for refund, you may elect to have your tax refund direct deposited to more than one account. With direct deposit and electronic filing, you may get your refund as soon as within 7 to 10 business days. Some exceptions may apply.

8. Results from the 2008 Tax Filing Season (as of October 1, 2009)

Goodwill's VITA Site

9. Volunteers Needed

Volunteer participation is the backbone of the VITA Program. VITA volunteers receive IRS-certified training; no previous experience in tax preparation is necessary. VITA volunteers typically serve as greeters, tax preparers, reviewers, and translators. Interested in becoming a volunteer? Click HERE to download the Volunteer Interest Form and follow the instructions.

10. Community Partners and Sponsors

Local and national community partners (i.e., businesses, nonprofits, financial institutions, faith-based organizations) have a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the efforts of the VITA Program by:

• Promoting free tax preparation services among their employees and/or members,
• Enlisting their employees as VITA Site Volunteers,
• Hosting one-day tax preparation events or serving as a free tax preparation VITA Site,
• Sponsoring a VITA Program through donations and grants.

• Internal Revenue Service Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education, and Communication Program (IRS SPEC)
• United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN)
• National Disability Institute and AT&T through the Real Economic Impact (REI) Tour. The mission of the Real Economic Impact Tour (REI Tour) is to provide workers with disabilities access to free tax preparation assistance and other asset building strategies to increase their economic and social well being.
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocacy Resource Center (DHHARC)

11. Useful Links and Downloads

To learn more about the IRS SPEC (Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education, and Communication) Disability Initiative , click HERE

To learn more about the VITA Program, click HERE

To learn more about the Earn It Keep It Save It Collaborative, click HERE

Download the Goodwill's VITA Site Flyer - Coming Soon

To learn more about Earned Income Tax Credit, click HERE

To learn more about free tax preparation assistance, click HERE

To learn more about assistance available for people with disabilities, click HERE

To find out your refund status, click HERE

Explore Goodwill's Volunteer Services

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program

Corporate Volunteer Opportunities

Special Education Work Experience Program