NeighborWorks Umpqua Starts Free Tax Preparation For Those Needing Assistance

NeighborWorks Umpqua has started their free tax preparation service to help prepare taxes for those needing assistance. In a partnership with the IRS, NeighborWorks Umpqua will open the free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in Roseburg and North Bend today. The VITA program offers free tax help to people with limited income, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers. Tax services are by appointment only. The services will be contact-free; documents can be shared through a drop-off process by appointment only. Additional follow-up consultations are by phone. For those who cannot travel, trained volunteers are available for questions while customers use a self-service website. “By partnering with the IRS, we have the support to connect with those in our rural community who normally do not have the means to file their taxes. This year we are adding translated services in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese,” says Michelle Martin, Director of Community and Economic Empowerment for NeighborWorks Umpqua.? In a release from NeighborWorks Umpqua the organization said a significant reason for providing these services is to help more individuals receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC adds dollars to the Oregon economy by giving working people more money to spend and contributes to reducing poverty. According to the Oregon Center for Public Policy, historically EITC participation has been in the 70-percentile range, which translates to over $100M in loss of economic activity in the state. NeighborWorks Umpqua hopes to increase the number of participants in the EITC by helping individuals file their taxes. Tax preparation appointment scheduling is open now through April 15, 2021. Those interested in getting their taxes prepared should call NeighborWorks Umpqua at 877-527-5630 or learn more about the service here: https://www.nwumpqua.org/vita/ Photo via Scott Graham