It’s that time of year again – the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is recruiting the hundreds of volunteers needed for its annual free tax preparation program.
Volunteering for the program is an excellent way to give to the community, said Alena Anderson, director of Moving Toward Financial Stability at United Way, as it helps get money — in the form of tax refunds — directly to low and moderate-income individuals.
“That's really what this program's about,” she said.
Volunteers don’t need any prior tax experience and will receive IRS training. They help income-qualified tax filers by preparing their returns for free, and making sure they are getting all the refunds they are entitled to, such as the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, or any missed COVID-related stimulus payments.
Last year across the region, 280 volunteers prepared more than 7,000 tax returns for free, sending $13.6 million in refunds to families and individuals. The program helps people avoid for-profit tax preparers, some of which often offer instant “refunds” that are actually loans.
What makes a good volunteer?
“Just the willingness to work with people…somebody who can be patient, that really wants to help and see people thrive. [That’s] really the heart of it,” Anderson said.
The deadline to apply is January 10, 2023.
To learn more or to volunteer, go to: www.swpafreetaxes.org
