Urban Upbound’s Free VITA Training Program to Start Soon
For 15 years, Urban Upbound has been a trusted partner of the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. As the name suggests, volunteers are the key to the success of our VITA program. This year, Urban Upbound’s Tax and Income Support team will begin a new season of training on Monday, November 16.
Last year, 120 volunteers — mostly students from colleges and universities in the East Coast — joined our training program and contributed their time to serve members of the community. They helped file 10,465 tax returns and return $12 million in tax refunds back to low- and middle-income families. With over 20 locations opened throughout the City before the pandemic, volunteers could choose where to volunteer based on the most convenient location for them.
We are working to ensure all safety precautions and guidelines are followed, both during training and while working in the upcoming tax season. This year, we will hold free general training and TaxWise software training separately. General training program will be held virtually and our TaxWise training will be held in-person with limited capacity and following social-distancing and other safety guidelines.
General training includes lessons on current tax law and financial information, during which volunteers familiarize themselves with the kinds of documents and information that they may receive during the tax preparation sessions. At this training, volunteers will also gain a deeper understanding of how taxes and benefits connect. At the TaxWise training, volunteers will learn and practice how to use one of the most well-known tax preparation software worldwide, a skill that will give them an edge as they build a career in accounting.
Interested in joining us? Please email Ralph Torres at vita@urbanupbound.org to participate in the training program and volunteer with Urban Upbound for the upcoming tax season.
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