Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (IRS VITA)
The Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (IRS VITA) grant program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation service for the underserved through various partner organizations. This service helps individuals from income-diverse backgrounds, persons with disabilities, the older adults and limited English speakers file their taxes each year. Volunteers learn how to prepare tax returns to assist members of the community.
VITA sites offer free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns, including:
- people who generally make $67,000 or less;
- persons with disabilities; and
- limited English-speaking taxpayers.
In addition to VITA, the IRS Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors.
What We Offer
If you qualify, we will prepare your federal and California tax returns. Our tax return preparation assistance service is provided primarily by Citrus College student and faculty volunteers. Each volunteer tax preparer receives IRS-sponsored training and must pass a series of IRS VITA certification tests to ensure they are knowledgeable about the tax code and can provide accurate assistance to taxpayers. To ensure tax returns are prepared correctly and to minimize filing errors, all volunteers are under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners and/or trained faculty.
VITA Tax Clinic Information for Taxpayers
General Eligibility Requirement
We will be able to prepare current year's tax returns that are within the scope of
VITA.
VITA volunteers are generally not trained to prepare tax returns for complex tax situations such as extensive investments, rental properties or businesses with losses, depreciation, expenses for business use of your home and noncash charitable contributions exceeding $500.
For more information, see Publication 3676-B for services provided.
Do You Qualify?
In general, if you made under $67,000, our professionally trained volunteers can prepare
and electronically file your federal and state income tax returns. At no cost, you
can have your federal and state tax return completed at our site. You may also qualify
for the Federal and California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) when you file your
tax return.
Questions about the Qualifications?
If you have any questions about the qualifications, please contact us via email at
vita@citruscollege.edu.
Volunteer Information
Participating in the VITA program can be a valuable addition to your academic and professional journey, providing you with practical skills, personal growth and a deeper connection to your community. Through this volunteer work experience opportunity, you will:
- impact in the community by assisting individuals and families who may not have access to affordable tax preparation services.
- gain practical experience in preparing tax returns by apply tax knowledge to real-life scenarios.
- develop new technical skill by using a professional tax preparation platform.
- develop analytic and research skills by reviewing tax laws and regulations to determine the appropriate tax treatment for unique tax-related situations.
- develop valuable soft skills such as leadership, communication, problem-solving and customer service, which are important in professional business environment.
- broaden your understanding of tax laws and regulations, which will help you understand the tax impact of certain personal and business financial decisions.
- develop skills and habits that will make you more marketable.
- improve your interpersonal skills, gain confidence, develop interviewing skills to obtain missing information or clarify information that is unclear, learn the importance of documenting your work and learn the importance of confidentiality and privacy.
- learn to ask for assistance when encountering a difficult or complicated situation and learn to accept constructive feedback to improve future performance.
No prior experience or tax knowledge is needed. All majors are welcome.
General Steps to Qualify as a VITA Volunteer
STEP 1.
- Complete the VITA Volunteer Application to apply and be added to our mailing list.
STEP 2.
- Participate in alternative VITA tax law training (see training option)
- For those who desire college course credit, register for ACCT 113 VITA I tax law training for course credit (optional).
- Complete the following IRS VITA tax certification exams:
- IRS VITA Volunteer Standards of Conduct (VSC) Exam
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review Exam
- Basic Examination
- Advanced Examination (preferred)
STEP 3.
- Participate at the VITA site during the tax season.
- For those who desire college course credit for participating in VITA, register for ACCT 114 VITA II (optional).
Volunteer Non-Tax Preparer Requirements
All VITA volunteer non-tax preparers must pass the Volunteer Standards of Conduct.
Option 1: Enroll in ACCT 113 for course credit. It is recommended to concurrently attend the in-person training sessions (see Option 2).
Option 2: Hands-on training conducted on campus. Not required to enroll in ACCT 113.
- Specific dates for all in-person training sessions in January and February will be announced.
- Location of campus training sessions will be announced.
More detailed information and access to our VITA Canvas shell will be provided to the VITA volunteers.
Campus Parking and Contact Information
Campus Parking
One-day parking permits ($5 per day) can be purchased at any of the ten automated pay station machines located throughout campus. Visitors should place the daily parking permit face up on the driver's side dashboard
to avoid a citation.
Visitors without a valid parking permit will be cited, as parking enforcement is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Parking lot S9 is closest to the Mathematics (MA) Building, located on the southwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Barranca Avenues. Do NOT park in the spaced with a "Client" marking.
Parking lot S8 is an alternative location — it is located off Barranca Avenue, south of Foothill Boulevard, south of the Diesel Technology (DT) Buildings. Click here to view the map of the S8 lot.
Parking meters with a 30 minute maximum time limit are available in parking lot E6 west of the Center for Innovation (CI) Building (25¢ per 15 minutes, coins only). Expired meter parking will be cited.
Questions about parking? Review campus safety parking guidelines.
Campus map (interactive) with building location directory
Access Services accessible passenger loading and drop off locations on campus are:
- south of the Student Services (SS) Building, adjacent to the V1 parking lot
- next to the Administration (AD) Building, in the E6 parking lot at the transit shelter/circular drive
- east of the Adaptive Physical Education (AP) Building in the interior of campus
Contact Information
Patrick Borja, CPA and VITA faculty coordinator
✉️ vita@citruscollege.edu