United Way of Buffalo & Erie County supports volunteer income tax preparation (VITA) through a network of partners in Erie County and Western New York. Under the auspices of the Internal Revenue Service, volunteers complete income taxes for low and moderate income individuals and families. This saves them the cost of preparation fees, and helps them claim resources such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Tax Credit. Free training is provided so that you are certified in how to prepare and review the tax returns. Remote online volunteering is available. While the busiest season is the traditional tax preparation time of January through mid April, volunteers are needed all year around to prepare returns that are not aligned with the traditional timetable. Individuals are needed both to prepare the taxes, and to help by making sure all documentation is in place. Here is a four-minute video so you can hear from VITA volunteers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niC26DOA3qg&feature=youtu.be
