Volunteer income tax assistance

Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) will hold an orientation session for new and potential volunteers in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) free tax assistance program. The session will be held Thursday, September 27 at 4 p.m.at the Elrod Center at Henderson State University, 311 6th Street in Arkadelphia. Call 870-867-0151 for more information.

At CADC tax sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers work one-on-one with families and individuals to help file their tax returns and ensure that they receive the tax credits for which they qualify. The tax program orientation will provide an overview of the program and the free tax certification training required to volunteer as a tax preparer.

CADC partners with the Internal Revenue Service to provide free tax preparation and promote the Earned Income Tax Credit to low- and moderate-income families in Central and South Arkansas. The free tax sites also utilize E-file, which allows customers to receive their refunds in 8 to 10 days.

CADC sponsored a site at Henderson State University Huie Library in 2012. The site assisted 55 taxpayers, who received over $46,661 in Earned Income Tax Credit and over $105,800 in federal income taxes. Overall, CADC assisted over 2,900 persons in 12 counties file their federal and state taxes. Those customers received over $1.01 million in Earned Income Tax Credit and an additional $3.4 million in federal return dollars.

CADC is a nonprofit community action agency that was formed in 1965 to fight and win the “War on Poverty.” The mission of CADC is to improve the quality of life and build strong communities in Arkansas. For more information on becoming a tax volunteer, contact CADC at 870-867-0151.