United Way Again Looking For Tax Preparation Volunteers in Everett

It’s time again for volunteers to step up to help with the United Way of Snohomish County’s Tax Preparation Program. Here’s what you need to know courtesy of Neil Parekh at United Way…

As part of United Way’s IRS-approved free tax preparation program in 2014, volunteers are needed to help Everett-area working families keep more of what they earn. All volunteers will receive training from United Way and will become certified by the IRS. In addition to tax preparers, United Way is also looking for volunteer greeters and intake screeners.

North Middle School, South Everett Foursquare Church and Goodwill’s south Everett Job Training and Education Center will each host a free tax preparation site. Volunteers who are multilingual are greatly needed.

The deadline for volunteer registration is November 30. Trainings will be held in December and January. Each volunteer will be asked to contribute three to five hours a week from January 21 until April 15. For more information and to volunteer, please click here.

The program is designed to help working families prepare their income tax forms for free, raising awareness about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), child care and other available tax credits while avoiding fees associated with for-profit tax preparers.

“Volunteering with the free tax preparation program is tremendously fulfilling, as you get to help people directly,” said Bob Malone of Mukilteo. “The looks on their faces when you have made a significant positive impact in their lives is unforgettable.”

Last year, Bob volunteered at a free tax preparation site in south Everett. This will be his third year as a volunteer with United Way’s tax preparation program.

In 2013, volunteers from the three sites in Everett prepared 1,630 tax returns and helped working families claim almost $3 million in federal refunds, including nearly a third of that ($1 million) through the EITC. The free service saved customers an estimated $270,000 in tax preparation fees. Across Snohomish County, 104 volunteers dedicated over 3,800 hours to United Way’s Free Tax Preparation Program.

Since 2007, United Way volunteers have prepared over 12,000 tax returns throughout Snohomish County and helped Snohomish County working families claim $20.4 million in refunds.

United Way of Snohomish County will operate three Free Tax Preparation Program sites in Everett and one in each of the towns of Monroe, Marysville and Lynnwood from January 21 to April 15, 2014.

At the free tax preparation sites, customers will also be able to sign up for public benefits and learn about opportunities to make the most of their tax refunds. The Free Tax Preparation Program will provide taxpayers with information about asset building resources such as credit counseling, savings bonds and health care options, as well.

The Boeing Company, Washington State Department of Commerce, Goodwill, the Walmart Foundation and the Internal Revenue Service are United Way’s Free Tax Preparation Program’s primary sponsors and partners.

The Free Tax Preparation Program is part of United Way’s efforts to help ensure Snohomish County families become and remain financially stable. Other components of the program include access to public benefits and other wealth building products and services.