The Fairfax County CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) program is now recruiting volunteers to help meet the goal of getting $2 million back into the hands of low-income county residents by helping them claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (worth up to $4,400 per family). Last year the CASH program helped over 700 families complete their tax returns.
Volunteer tax preparers, screeners and translators help neighbors who make less than $39,000 per year claim tax refunds that can help pay current bills, reduce debt, or pay education expenses.. The tax preparation is done online and submitted electronically to the IRS. “We only do basic returns, so if you have a computer and do your own taxes, you have the skills we need, “ says Tom Meagher, CASH program manager.
Volunteers are required to pass a IRS certification test which qualifies them to prepare basic 1040, 1040EZ and 1040A returns. Free training is provided online or in classroom sessions. On average, volunteers spend 8 hours learning the material and passing the 31 question test. There are training classes available to teach volunteers the material needed to pass the test.
According to Tom Meagher, “Volunteering for CASH, is very rewarding. We have volunteers who return year after year because they can see that their volunteer hours make a big difference in their communities.”
For more information call Tom Meagher at 703-324-5319, TTY 711, tom.meagher@fairfaxcounty.gov or visit the Office of Partnerships Web site at http://fairfaxcounty.gov/partnerships.
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To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-5171, TTY 711.
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