Volunteers needed for VITA program

The Washtenaw County Bar Association Tax Section will host a presentation by Gina Torielli about the 2015 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, noon, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 200 N. Main (downstairs conference room), Ann Arbor. WCBA is supporting United Way of Washtenaw County in sponsoring a VITA Program for the upcoming tax filing season. VITA is an IRS-sanctioned program through which volunteers (lawyers, students, retirees, tax professionals or others) work with lower-income individuals who need assistance in preparing their tax returns. Volunteers work during specified time-shifts at the United Way's offices on Platt Road. Nearly all the work of preparing returns is done at computer terminals, using special tax-preparation software. Volunteers assist clients to enter data and work through any choices. The VITA program requires that people complete an on-line certification program, and organizers will provide guidance as to how to complete that process. During the return-preparation sessions, participants work with other volunteers and are supervised by an on-site coordinator with expertise in tax and preparation software, who reviews and signs off on each return before filing. People may volunteer as little or as much as they like, during any one or more scheduled VITA tax preparation sessions (of several hours each) on evenings and Saturdays in February, March and April. Law firms are encouraged to schedule sessions when several attorneys can volunteer at the same time, as a team-building opportunity. Participants will also learn about tax provisions they might not run across in their practice, and gain a better overall understanding of the tax system as a whole. For further information, contact Andrew Stumpff at astumpff@skalaw.com, or call 734-747-7050. Published: Mon, Jan 26, 2015