Volunteers Needed For Free Tax Preparation Sites in Everett – No Experience Necessary

Got word from Neil Parekh, at United Way of Snohomish County, that they’re ramping up for tax season. Every year United Way Volunteers help working folks in Everett and around our area prepare their taxes for free and make sure they’re aware of the deductions available. It’s a great way to help others while learning a useful skill for yourself. Classes are starting soon. Here’s the information you’ll need…

Volunteers are needed to help Everett-area residents keep more of what they earn as part of United Way’s IRS-approved free tax preparation program in 2013. All volunteers will receive training from United Way and will be certified by the IRS. In addition to tax preparers, United Way is also looking for volunteers who do not wish to prepare income taxes but who wish to serve as greeters and intake specialists. 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.

“Volunteering with the free tax preparation program allows me to give back to my community in a hands-on fashion,” said Toni Baumann, a long-time volunteer who works with Cardiac Science Corporation in Bothell. “The training is great and the work is very fulfilling,” she added.

United Way of Snohomish County will operate the Free Tax Preparation Program at six sites throughout Snohomish County from January 22 to April 15, 2013. In addition to the three sites in Everett, there will be one each in Marysville, Monroe and Lynnwood.

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

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 also provide taxpayers with information about asset building resources such as credit counseling, savings bonds and health care options.

In 2012, 96 volunteers dedicated over 5,100 hours to United Way of Snohomish County’s Free Tax Preparation Program. Volunteers prepared 2,511 tax returns and helped families claim over $4.28 million in federal refunds, including nearly $1.3 million in Earned Income Tax Credits. In all, United Way volunteers saved customers an estimated $414,000 in tax preparation fees.

Since 2007 United Way volunteers have prepared nearly 9,200 tax returns, worth $15.25 million in refunds for Snohomish County’s working families.

For more information and to volunteer, please click here. The volunteer registration deadline is November 30. Trainings will take place in December and January. Each volunteer will be asked to contribute three to six hours a week of their time.