For over half a century, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has provided free tax preparation services to households with low incomes.  

Built on public-private partnerships and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the VITA program trains and certifies volunteers to help low- and moderate-income families who cannot afford the often-exorbitant fees for professional tax services but who still need assistance to accurately complete their taxes.  

Each year, thousands of IRS-certified volunteers—working at sites in every state—assist households in accurately fulfilling their tax obligations. They work alongside tax filers to help them claim and keep the critical tax credits they have earned and are eligible for, including the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This is particularly important since refunds, which make up as much as 30 percent of a family’s annual income, can be rapidly eroded by costly preparation fees.  

The success of the VITA program is unmatched. In 2023, more than 3,800 VITA sites prepared 1,300,000 tax returns, which generated $1.9 billion in refunds to households with low and moderate incomes. 

Beyond the important role that VITA plays in helping low- and moderate-income households accurately file their taxes, VITA sites also offer financial education and link low-income taxpayers to other critical services, strengthening families and the local economy. 

Ask your Member of Congress to support the FY26 President’s Budget Request for the VITA program in the amount of $62.5 million in the FY26 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill.