HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — The deadline to file your federal and state taxes is April 18, and completing the process on your own can be daunting.
Once again, the United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg is offering free tax help for those with a household income of less than $60,000.
Cara Cardotti, director of the nonprofit's tax assistance program, admits filing taxes can be complicated.
“We want people to feel confident about the service that we're offering. It is a free service, but it is a quality service. We go through pretty rigorous training to make that happen,” she explained.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program has been in existence in Central Virginia since 2002. Cardotti said they consistently hear that families never knew their program existed.
Volunteers are recruited and undergo a rigorous training and certification each year provided by the IRS.
They also verify the tax formers were filled out properly when the process is complete.
“Any Virginia resident can take advantage of this service. Our in-person service also offers IRS certified tax preparers. Our online service offers remote volunteers that go through that same certification. So, we have volunteers that are ready to assist folks from the safety of their home. And we do the same kind of integrated process, meaning that the customer participates with us from start to finish,” Cardotti stated.
She recommends you bring identification, social security cards, tax documents and bank information with you.
The service is also offered in multiple languages.
To sign up, log on to their website YourUnitedWay.org.
