United Way of Denton County is proud to provide FREE income tax preparation assistance through VITA - the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Thanks to dedicated volunteers like you, we have helped thousands of low-income working individuals and families maximize their federal tax refund without paying unnecessary tax service fees.
Since 2008, our VITA program has successfully increased the economic mobility of struggling families by providing thousands of dollars of tax return which can be the catalyst to lift Denton County children out of poverty.
Would you like to know more? Explore some Frequently Asked Questions below or schedule a group information session by e-mailing Teddy@UnitedWayDenton.org!
All ages: High school and college students to working professionals to retired seniors
All skill-sets and professions: No accounting or tax background necessary, we can teach you everything you need to know!
Basic computer proficiency: While we'll provide the computers and software for you to use, you'll need to bring enough skills with a computer to use secure, browser-based tax software
Clean background check: To protect both you and the taxpayers you help, we'll perform an FCRA-compliant background check on you prior to volunteering
To join the elite ranks of our volunteer tax preparers, you'll have to pass a background check, then commit to:
- 3 hours of Orientation and Intake training
- 9 hours of Tax Law training, plus optional tutoring to pass certification
- 3 hours per week of volunteerism during the tax season; we ask for a total of 24 hours, but more is always welcome!
VITA is an IRS-supported, free income tax preparation program for qualifying families in Denton County. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program aims to increase the use of valuable federal tax benefits for working families/individuals in the Denton County area through outreach and tax preparation assistance.
Since the program's inception in Denton County in 2008:
- United Way of Denton County volunteers have prepared over 10,000 tax returns for Denton County taxpayers!
- United Way of Denton County volunteers have returned over $14.4 million in refunds to the pockets of low- to moderate-income Denton County taxpayers while saving them an estimated $2.7 million in filing fees.
We need your help to bring that money back to the pockets of households who need it most!
If the webform does not load below, CLICK HERE to register as a free tax prep volunteer!
VITA VOLUNTEER NEEDS
Our volunteers are essential to our mission. No experience is necessary to volunteer. If you sign up, we will teach you everything you need to know in order to file tax returns. Or you can help in a non-tax support role by preparing taxpayers for their session or translating for taxpayers with limited English proficiency. Click on the tabs below to learn more:
Where: Train with United Way of Denton County, in-person or virtually, and then prepare tax returns at multiple host sites across the County
When: Train throughout the year, then attend a weekly free tax preparation site at a time and place most convenient to you!
What you need to be a Volunteer Tax Preparer:
- A teachable attitude
- Basic computer skills (using browser-based software, managing your login credentials including 2-factor authorization)
- Clean criminal background check
- 9-12 hours to attend training
- 24+ hours to volunteer from January through April
- NO PRIOR TAX OR SOCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - We can train you to do it all!
What you'll do:
- Attend trainings:
- First year volunteers: 9-12 hours of training and test prep
- Returning volunteers: Optional 3-4 hours of refresher training and test prep
- Certify each year as a volunteer tax preparer using online IRS software and testing
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam (required)
- Intake / Interview & Quality Review Exam (required)
- Basic OR Advanced Exam (required)
- Foreign Student / International / Military / Puerto Rico (optional bonus certifications)
- Interview taxpayers to ensure they are eligible for and within the allowable scope of free tax preparation.
- Provide eligible taxpayers with free, high-quality tax preparation services.
- Invite peer or designated quality review of your work.
- Put taxpayers' hard earned money back into their pockets in the form of refunds.
- Reward hard workers with their Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Lift children out of poverty by qualifying their parents for the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit.
Where: Train with United Way of Denton County, in-person or virtually, and then run intake and waiting areas at multiple host sites across the County
When: Train throughout the year, then attend a weekly free tax preparation site at a time and place most convenient to you!
What you need to be a Greeter or Intake Volunteer:
- A helpful and organized attitude
- The patience to help taxpayers understand and do their part in the tax preparation process
- Clean criminal background check
- 3-4 hours to attend training
- 24+ hours to volunteer from January through April
- NO PRIOR TAX OR SOCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - We can train you to do it all!
What you'll do:
- Attend training:
- First year volunteers: 3-4 hours of training and testing
- Returning volunteers: Optional 3-4 hours of training and testing
- Certify each year as a volunteer using online IRS testing
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam (required)
- Intake / Interview & Quality Review Exam (required)
- Bonus tax certifications (optional)
- Greet taxpayers and their families upon arrival
- Maintain the taxpayer sign-in and queue
- Explain our tax preparation process and intake forms
- Help taxpayers make sure they've got all their documents
- Match taxpayers with appropriately certified volunteer tax preparers
- Maintain a smooth taxpayer experience in the intake and waiting area
Where: Train with United Way of Denton County, in-person or virtually, and then provide translation and intake services at multiple host sites across the County
When: Train throughout the year, then attend a weekly free tax preparation site at a time and place most convenient to you!
What you need to be a Volunteer Translator:
- Conversational proficiency in both English and a language other than English (especially Spanish, though all language skills are welcome)
- The patience to help taxpayers understand and do their part in the tax preparation process
- Clean criminal background check
- 3-4 hours to attend training
- 24+ hours to volunteer from January through April
- NO PRIOR TAX OR SOCIAL WORK EXPERIENCE NECESSARY - We can train you to do it all!
What you'll do:
- Attend training:
- First year volunteers: 3-4 hours of training and testing
- Returning volunteers: Optional 3-4 hours of training and testing
- Certify each year as a volunteer using online IRS testing
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam (required)
- Intake / Interview & Quality Review Exam (required)
- Bonus tax certifications (optional)
- Greet taxpayers and their families upon arrival
- Put taxpayers with limited English proficiency at ease with the tax process
- Translate complex tax topics and important questions for taxpayers with limited English proficiency
- Ensure taxpayers with limited English proficiency understand their tax return
- Perform the duties of an Intake Volunteer when translation is not in demand
Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is provided with the generous support of:
