Community Action Partnership of Riverside County is seeking volunteers to become IRS-trained and certified in order to support the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program this upcoming tax season. IRS-certified volunteers prepare basic income tax returns for qualified taxpayers in local communities throughout Riverside County. They also help to secure as well as increase awareness of special tax credits such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Credit for the Elderly or Disabled. In the last year alone, there were over $76.6 million unclaimed EITC dollars within Riverside County.

Once certified, volunteers become IRS tax preparers that prepare income tax returns at no cost for taxpaying families who make $50,000 or less.

Certified tax preparers can help a low-to-moderate income family submit a tax return for an average return of $1,832.

Training begins in December. Tax preparation starts at the end of January and concludes in mid-April. CAP Riverside tax preparers commit to serving a minimum of 25 hours throughout the tax season.

Tax preparers are assigned to various sites throughout Riverside County and volunteers are needed from all parts of the county.

The County of Riverside now requires all volunteers to be live-scanned. This can be done at any Sheriff’s office. There is a $42 fee. For more information or to apply as a VITA volunteer, download the application at www.capriverside.org or call (800) 511-1110 or (951) 955-4900.