‘Tis the season for giving.
And then comes the season for taking.
Tax season, that is.
With that in mind, the Mariposa County Library is working to take advantage of both — people who are in the giving spirit and can help the library with a possible new service.
That service would be providing free tax preparation service for people with lower incomes.
“Time is of the essence,” said Matt Johnson, Mariposa County Librarian.
The concept actually began last year, said Johnson, when officials learned the library in Oakhurst was offering free tax preparation services.
That led to Mariposa Library officials inquiring about the program and see if it would be something that would fit at the local library.
It didn’t take much research, said Johnson, who believes the library is a “perfect fit” for such services.
It turns out the program is called VITA, or the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. It is administered by the Internal Revenue Services and is nationwide.
The program is also connected to the United Way, which helps coordinate how it works. Two people from the United Way in Merced came to Mariposa recently to discuss the program and figure out if it would be a good fit locally.
“They are interested in starting a program here,” said Johnson.
But to do that, it’s going to take the help of some local volunteers, said Johnson.
It will take three to five volunteers for the program to work locally, said Johnson.
Those volunteers act as sort of an “intake staff,” he said, meeting with potential clients and doing some screenings to see if they qualify along with other duties.
Those volunteers also help calculate the taxes but, stressed Johnson, those are then reviewed by tax professionals to make sure everything adds up.
Johnson said the volunteers can be as young as 16 and he’s hoping local students might have an interest in volunteering for the program to help those in need.
He did say in order to qualify to volunteer in the program, it will take three Saturday training sessions in Merced as well as passing a test.
“It could be a fun way to give back to the community,” said Johnson.
No prior tax preparation experience is needed, he said, though a basic understanding of math skills and other qualities is helpful.
“There are so many elderly and a lot of lower income people here,” said Johnson. “It makes perfect sense.”
He also said the library “has the space” to host such a program.
A lot remains up in the air, he said, but he is hopeful some local people will be willing to step up and help out fellow citizens.
VITA services are available to people with lower incomes, persons with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers. The program uses IRS-certified volunteers to provide this assistance.
Johnson said if they can get the volunteers, the plan is to move ahead with the program. They will have to determine the hours of operations and other logistical factors, he said.
The program offers services for basic income tax preparation.
That can include:
• Free tax preparation and electronic filing of basic federal and state income tax returns.
• Information on tax credits for which taxpayers may qualify, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Help with specific issues, including military-specific tax benefits and applying for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number at some sites.
• Self-prep assistance options are available at some VITA centers or through online portals like GetYourRefund.org
Johnson said they are hoping to get the program up and running sometime in late January, or earlier if possible.
To find out more or to volunteer, contact the library at (209) 966-2140.
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