Today, Southern celebrates and kicks off its 10th year of administering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free tax preparation for income eligible individuals and families in Arkansas and Mississippi.
To serve as a tax preparer for the VITA program, one must be IRS-certified. These volunteers guide taxpayers through the filing process and help them identify potential credits and deductions such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit, and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled. Many of the volunteers in Southern’s VITA program are Southern Bancorp Bank employees.
Since the VITA program’s inception, Southern has filed more than 10,000 returns, resulting in over $20 million in refunds and credits, including over $10 million from the EITC. This money goes back into taxpayer hands where it can support families and local economies, primarily in the some of the most distressed communities in Arkansas and Mississippi.
This year, the VITA program has expanded to 12 sites in both Arkansas and Mississippi, all located within Southern Bancorp branches. Most VITA sites are open Tuesday-Thursday from 10am to 5pm, starting January 21, 2014. Contact your nearest location for specific days and times.
For a complete list of VITA locations, as well as income-eligibility information, please visit https://southernpartners.org/asset-building/vita/. To learn more about EITC or how you can participate in EITC Awareness Day on January 31, please visit http://www.eitc.irs.gov/Partner-Toolkit/awarenessday. VITA sites nationwide are listed at http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers.