tax
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiative that offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income people who cannot prepare their own taxes. Utah has implemented the VITA program across the state through the Earn it. Keep it. Save it. Initiative, a statewide, public-private partnership that works to strengthen family financial stability through increased utilization of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), and other asset formation programs.
Utah's VITA program provides free tax preparation services to households whose income is below $49,000 a year. VITA sites are fully staffed by volunteers who are trained by the IRS. Each volunteer works with a tax filer to ensure that all tax credits to which the tax filer is entitled, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), are claimed.
The federal EITC is a refundable tax credit that reduces or eliminates the tax liability that low- to moderate-income working individuals pay. The EITC also frequently operates as a wage subsidy for low- to moderate-income workers. The EITC is one of the largest anti-poverty tools in the United States and enjoys broad bipartisan support. As many as 31,000 Utah households fail to file for the EITC annually because they do not think they earn enough to be required to file taxes or because of education and language barriers. It is estimated that up to $70 million in federal EITC money is left unclaimed by Utahns each year. The EITC can be claimed by any qualified, working tax filer.
Low- to moderate-income households may receive free tax preparation assistance through Earn it. Keep it. Save it. VITA sites statewide. While eligibility and dollar amounts depend on the household's filing status, income and number of qualifying dependants, if your household income is under $49,000 a year, you may be eligible for free tax help from the IRS-trained community volunteers. Just dial 2-1-1 or visit www.utahtaxhelp.org to find out if you are eligible. Households that qualify for the EITC may also be eligible for the child tax credit and other credits. Assistance is available in multiple languages.
Sites, Supporters and Partners:
- 2-1-1 Information and Referral/Utah Food Bank Services
- AAA Fair Credit Foundation
- Ally Bank
- American Express
- Barnes Bank
- Citi Cards
- Columbus Community Center
- Cottages of Hope
- Department of Community and Culture
- Department of Workforce Services
- Doorways to Dreams
- Enerbank USA
- H&R Block
- Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake
- Internal Revenue Service
- KeyBank
- Morgan Stanley Bank
- National Community Tax Coalition
- Salt Lake City Government
- Samaritan Technologies
- Sorenson Unity Center
- The Beehive
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
- United Way of Dixie
- United Way of Northern Utah
- United Way of Salt Lake
- United Way of Utah County
- University of Utah
- Utah Community Credit Union
- Utah Individual Development Account Network
- Utah Saves
- USU Extension
- Wells Fargo
- Westminster College
- West Valley City
- Zions Bank
