VITA: Volunteers needed at UW-Marathon County

For many families, a tax refund is one of the largest payments a family will receive all year. A program to provide free tax assistance to low-income, handicapped and elderly individuals will again be offered at UW-Marathon County. Volunteers are needed to staff the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Now in its fourth year of hosting the VITA program, The Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service is seeking volunteers who can donate their time to prepare tax returns for low-income people at the UWMC campus. The VITA program allows individuals and families to keep their whole refund, without using a portion of it to pay for tax return preparation.

Volunteers should be 17 or older and have basic computer skills. Training is available through the online learning course “Link and Learn” at www.irs.gov/app/vita/. Classroom training will also be offered on:

  • December 3 — 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
  • December 5 — 1 – 2:30 p.m.
  • December 7 — 6 – 7:30 p.m.

All sessions will be in room 300 at UWMC. Certification must be attained by volunteers through this training. The training will follow the Link & Learn curriculum. No prior tax knowledge is necessary.

This tax preparation service is offered every year from February to April. VITA volunteers will be needed on Tuesdays from 2 – 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Attendance every Tuesday and/or Saturday is not required.

Support for this project is provided by WIPPS, UWMC and Wisconsin Business Development.

About VITA

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a cooperative effort by the Internal Revenue Service and many individual states, including Wisconsin, to provide income tax assistance to low-income individuals, handicapped or elderly. Volunteers are certified by the IRS to prepare returns free of charge.

About Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS)

WIPPS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan unit of UW Colleges and UW-Extension with a mission to address local, state and national issues by linking public scholarship, civic outreach, and student service to enhance community life throughout Wisconsin.