United Way of the Plains has volunteers ready to help people file their taxes this year.
This service is open to people in Sedgwick, Butler, Cowley, Geary, and Marion counties. but is limited to households with income below $60,000 a year.
United Way of the Plains VITA program manager Colleen O’Callaghan expects similar numbers of people will take advantage of the service this year.
“For more than a decade, we’ve depended on volunteer site coordinators, greeters and certified tax preparers to prepare thousands of tax returns. We also depend on partners who provide the buildings, electricity and Wi-Fi for the tax preparation sites. Their collaboration has helped us extend our outreach and enhance the program’s impact. Our goal is to keep increasing the number of people we help every year.”
In-person and document drop-off appointments are now being scheduled by calling 2-1-1. A list of items that should be brought to tax preparation appointments can be found at unitedwayplains.org/taxprep. An online filing option is available beginning January 31 at GetYourRefund.org/BEST-UWP.
Keep the following dates in mind:
- Friday, Jan. 28 – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Kickoff, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Ascension Via Christi, 9727 E. Shannon Woods. Dial 2-1-1 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome.
- Friday, Jan. 28 – National Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day (the premise for VITA)
- Monday, Jan. 31 – First day of appointments for tax preparation at VITA locations. Online tax preparation services go live at GetYourRefund.org/BEST-UWP.
- Monday, April 18 – Tax filing deadline
