VITA (Volunteers in Tax Assistance) have generated a list of superlatives in their effort to prepare free, electronically filed federal income tax returns for area residents who earn $66,000 or less per year, who are persons with disabilities, or who have a limited ability to speak English.
Their work began January 20 and continues through April 17.
To date, IRS-certified volunteers have prepared well over 4,000 tax returns, a 10% increase compared to this time last year. Over $8 million in federal tax refunds have been returned to Laredoans in average refund amounts of just over $2,000. The number of volunteer preparers for the 2018 season doubled to over 200, which spelled shorter wait times for preparation. And this year VITA worked at two sites in Zapata on four different weekends.
According to Jack Byham, chair of the Laredo Family Economic Success Coalition (LFESC), which administers the VITA program, there is still time to sit down with a VITA volunteer to prepare a return and e-file it.
“Anyone looking for general information about when sites are open or about what to bring can visit vitalaredo.org, which has all the essential information,” Byham said.
He noted that 75% of those having returns prepared through VITA have requested direct deposit, the quickest and easiest way to receive a refund from the IRS. He said VITA preparers are diligent about ensuring the accuracy of bank routing and account numbers listed on the return for direct deposit before e-filing.
VITA preparers ask the taxpayer to review essential information on the return, including bank account info, as part of VITA’s quality review process.
Byham said that though returns are being prepared by IRS-certified volunteers, the IRS holds taxpayers responsible for their return. “This is something we are required to tell taxpayers during the preparation process, which not everyone knows. So, it’s best to be honest about income and health insurance. In most cases, earnings and whether or not you had health insurance through the Marketplace (Obamacare) has already been reported to the IRS.”
He said taxpayers who suspect they owe the IRS are advised to prepare their return early in the season, since the deadline is April 15 to pay what is owed. “You can file for an automatic extension, but this does not push back the due date on any money owed.”
The Goodwill Job Help Center and the Joe A. Guerra Public Library have been the two most popular VITA sites for several seasons now, and wait times there continue to be a bit longer than at other sites. Taxpayers who do not want to wait long are encouraged to try new VITA sites for this year, which include NeighborWorks Laredo at 216 Bob Bullock Loop, the LBV Boys and Girls Club at 3900 Los Presidentes Ave., and the Consulado General Mexicano at 1612 Farrugut St. in downtown Laredo, which is a drop-off site.
Laredo ISD student VITA volunteers, who have received exactly the same IRS training and certification as adult volunteers, are at the ready at four LISD high school sites to prepare returns and e-file them. Byham noted, “LISD has been a great partner of VITA and supports the VITA program 100%.”
The IRS does not report citizenship status to other federal agencies. Non-resident taxpayers can get an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) to file in lieu of a Social Security number. Taxpayers who need an ITIN are encouraged to go to the Consulado General Mexicano at 1612 Farragut on Fridays between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m (until Friday, April 6) or to the Azteca site at 20 Iturbide St on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Byham said that VISTA volunteers have been the heart of the VITA administrative team. They are Karen Duran, Stephanie Gonzalez, Alex Cavazos, Will Shrout, and Cesar Benavides. “The success of the VITA program has very much to do with their commitment to it,” he said.
One final superlative about VITA’s successes in the 2018 tax season — volunteers at all Coalition sites have collectively logged over 6,300 volunteer service hours as of April 5. By the time this story is read, that number will have grown.
