Georgia United Foundation partnered with Georgia United Credit Union, students from the University of Georgia (UGA), Dalton State College and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) to 3,813 residents in the local community during the tax season this year.
The VITA program provides free tax return assistance to individuals and families with low to moderate income, those with disabilities and the elderly. This year’s submissions resulted in federal refunds totaling $2,723,002 and state refunds of $522,886.
“We look forward to offering the VITA program to our communities each year,” said Kim Wall, director of business and community development at Georgia United. “The program helps families obtain access to tax preparation services and positively impacts the financial stability of our communities.”
Students are certified by the IRS as tax preparers and earn academic credit for their participation in the VITA program. As part of the partnership, Georgia United Credit Union provides office space and funding to provide the local community opportunities to have their taxes prepared and filed at no charge.
University of Georgia students volunteer in the VITA program to help residents prepare their tax returns for free. This is in partnership with the IRS, Georgia United Foundation and Georgia United Credit Union.