Expanding Access to Tax Benefits, for Free
Expanding access to free tax assistance through virtual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs can help low-income filers claim essential tax benefits without incurring preparation fees.
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has provided free, in-person tax preparation services to individuals earning $58,000 or less annually for over 50 years, boasting an accuracy rate exceeding 90%.
Despite this, VITA programs reach only a small fraction of eligible filers, as over 100 million households qualify for free tax filing services, but VITA sites are not available in every community and often struggle to meet demand. To address this gap, United Way Worldwide and New America’s New Practice Lab partnered to explore ways to make quality, free tax assistance more accessible to low-income filers. They identified that virtual assistance models, such as Facilitated Self Assistance (FSA), can expand access and scalability. FSA allows eligible filers to prepare their own taxes online with assistance from VITA volunteers via email, live chat, or phone and video support. Programs like United Way’s MyFreeTaxes and Code for America’s GetYourRefund exemplify this approach, enabling filers to access free tax preparation services remotely. Increased investment in FSA and similar models can ensure more families and communities obtain all the tax benefits they are owed, reducing reliance on paid preparers and preserving the net value of these benefits for low-income households.
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