VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a free tax preparation service where clients can get their taxes prepared by an IRS-certified volunteer at no cost. In 2021, the IRS extended the filing deadline until May 17, 2021. UWSLOC is proud to be the only VITA site in SLO County that extended their service past the original filing deadline. During the season we filed a total of 182 returns, over 70 of which were filed after the original deadline. Why is VITA important? VITA helps filers claim important tax credits, such as the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), to return hard-earned dollars to the community. The CalEITC is one of the strongest anti-poverty measures in the nation, yet each year millions of dollars are left unclaimed. Our preparers ensure that each taxpayer receives all eligible credits to maximize their return.
182 Returns Over $250,000 Refunded to Taxpayers Over $36,000 in Fees Saved Filing with VITA* *Calculated assuming average cost of $200 to file with a tax professional.
Volunteer Spotlight: Susan Knowles We are beyond grateful for the help we received from Susan Knowles. Susan prepared over 140 tax returns for our clients, and is an indispensible asset to our VITA program. Thank you Susan! “2021 was a challenging year for us all. Cal Poly students were not available to furnish their normal excellent services because the in-person classes were cancelled. Providing free income tax services to low-income families through the VITA program with United Way would have come to a screeching halt if there was not a vision for changing how we operated. In a prior year the IRS had set up a “virtual” program but it was not well accepted by clients. However, in 2021 that system was our lifeline to providing services. We had an intake crew in Oceano who accepted documents, and a team of experienced volunteers to prepare and review each return before they were returned to the client in Oceano. Many thanks to the AARP volunteers who empowered us to extend preparation when the IRS extended the filing season. Overall, we prepared 182 returns for our community.” -Susan Knowles
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