Tax season just got easier for qualifying households in Johnson County. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides free tax preparation services for low-to-moderate income residents, thanks to trained volunteers from the Johnson County Social Services Department. These services will be available until April 9, 2025.

The VITA program offers two convenient options for tax preparation assistance. Taxpayers with an income of $67,000 or less in 2024 can have their returns completed and filed by an IRS-certified tax preparer at no cost. Appointments are required and can be scheduled at www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita. Additionally, taxpayers making under $84,000 in 2024 can access free resources to file their taxes on their own.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates that 20% of American workers do not claim the refundable tax credits for which they are eligible, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). EITC is a special benefit for working people with an annual household income of less than $67,000. Workers who qualify for the EITC and file a federal tax return may be eligible for a portion or all the federal income tax taken out of their pay during the year. They may also receive additional cash back from the IRS, including workers whose earnings were too small to owe income tax, through the EITC.

Trained volunteer tax preparers help ensure that eligible taxpayers claim the EITC and any other qualifying tax credits, maximizing potential refunds.

Electronic filing is provided so that taxpayers can receive their tax refunds quickly. Taxpayers using VITA volunteers, or the free filing software to file taxes, are not charged for tax preparation or for receiving their refunds.

For more information on these services, visit www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/vita.