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CSUN's VITA Program helps vets prepare their taxes — for free (via Military Times)

March 14, 2019

This local program helps vets prepare their taxes — for free (via Military Times)

Do you hate doing your taxes and think of them as a confusing slog? Or are you an expert who others turn to for help every tax season?

Either way, this southern California-based program is looking for vets like you.

The Veteran Peer-to-Peer EITC Campaign, located in the greater Los Angeles area, offers veterans help preparing their tax returns. Who’s helping? Fellow veterans — who also happen to be trained tax preparers.

“We all kind of sit down and really focus on getting [our taxes] done,” said Ruth Christopherson, senior vice president with Citi Community Development. “It’s a lot of work; it’s nerve-wracking. When you can do it with a volunteer income-tax preparer, it’s easier.”

Most of the preparers are California State University, Northridge students, but the program also brings in other veterans from partner organizations and trains them to become IRS-certified tax preparers.

At that point, they are free to set up shop at one of CSUN’s 22 tax-preparation sites in southern California, which include nine dedicated to veterans. The sites are all managed and operated by the CSUN VITA Clinic, which specializes in helping low-income Californians prepare and file their taxes.

Christopherson, who also works with Citi’s veterans initiative Citi Salutes, estimated that veterans who used the peer-to-peer program saved a combined $30,000 in fees by not having someone else prepare their taxes. (Continue Reading Here).