The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program offers free tax preparation and e-filing services to individuals and families with an annual household income at or below $60,000; persons with disabilities; and those who are older than 60 years of age.

VITA tax preparers are certified by the IRS to ensure that clients receive all eligible Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and Child Tax Credits. In addition, clients save money by not having to pay fees associated with tax preparation. Through the VITA program, we help hard-working individuals and families in our community take advantage of their tax dollars and reinvest their returns back into Southwestern Indiana.

Although the pandemic had slowed somewhat, it continued to impact the number of volunteers and sites available, as well as the number of appointments that could be accommodated. In total, 751 tax returns were filed. In the process, VITA preparers helped this year’s clients claim $332,530 in Earned Income Tax Credits, $307,651 in Child Tax Credits and $22,902 in Education Tax Credits. Overall, local residents recovered more than $1.2 million in overpaid taxes.