VITA FREE Tax Prep Service

Don't Let  FREE Tax Prep Pass You By. Make VITA Your Next Stop!

There are TWO ways to file:

In Person or Online

Notice: CET-Salinas is providing assistance with back taxes by appointment only.

United Way's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance service (VITA) is focused on putting more money into the pockets of working families. IRS-trained volunteers offer FREE Tax Prep for families and individuals who earned less than $55,000 in 2019! Our goal is to make sure you get your FULL refund, claim all your eligible credits, and learn to use taxes to grow your assets! You can count on VITA to provide the highest quality tax service to families, individuals, and some small business owners.

Did you make more than $55,000? You can still file your taxes for free with MyFreeTaxes if you made under $66,000.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tax preparer, find more information here.

California Earned Income Tax (CalEITC) is a cash back tax credit that puts money back into the pockets of California’s working families and individuals. In its first year, CalEITC boosted the income of about 385,000 families, who shared almost $200 million from the cash-back credit. CalEITC gives working families the chance to get ahead. Studies show that young children in households that receive the EITC do better in school, are more likely to attend college and earn more, brightening the future of the next generation. Families earning up to $25,000 can get a BONUS of up to $6,500 and keep their full refund! Even if you don’t qualify for the full $6,500, you deserve to have the credit you earned. Think of the difference this extra cash can make for you and your family. Help spread the word with our bilingual flyer or payroll stuffers.

Volunteer Education and College Assistance Alliance (VECAA)

In partnership with the Hartnell College, UWMC will administer the VECAA program to increase Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Dream Act applications of high school students throughout Monterey County. FAFSA not only gives students access to the aid, but it allows students and families to find a better path toward college affordability and earning a degree. However, very few high school seniors complete FAFSA applications. Between 2016 and 2018, less than half of the eligible students entering Hartnell College completed the FASFA applications. 

Application completions will occur at the VITA sites across Monterey County through February 2020. Between October 2019 and February 2020, VECAA program staff and volunteers will hold other events to provide application support. The events will include parent-teacher conferences and parent engagement groups. View the program flyer here.

Online: MyFreeTaxes

Qualified tax preparers are available through their toll free number to assist taxpayers who are filing online: 1-855-MY-TX-HELP (1-855-698-9435)

1. The income cap is $66,000 AGI for individuals and families
2. 80% of filers finish their taxes in less than 1 hour!
3. “Bring on the complex returns” MyFreeTaxes uses H&R Block’s Premium Software meaning users have access to most state and federal forms.
4. We have the same guarantees from H&R Block-100% accurate returns, maximum refund, and top of the line security.
5. MyFreeTaxes is completely mobile optimized, the taxpayer can file seamlessly between their phone, tablet, or computer. The software includes a refund reveal during the entire filing process so the taxpayer can see any changes throughout the process. A filer can snap a secure picture on their mobile device through the software to upload and auto-fill their tax documents.
6. The MyFreeTaxes logo will be displayed on the top left corner of every page during the filing process. This helps filers know they are in our product versus H&R Block’s paid software.
7. Your organization does not need to do VITA to promote MyFreeTaxes, however if you do run VITA and have a VITA grant, United Way Worldwide partners with the IRS so that every MyFreeTaxes filer in your geography will count towards your VITA goals.
8. A goal of MyFreeTaxes is to empower the filer and help them gain confidence in their own ability to manage their finances. If a filer is not a regular email user, they may not be a good candidate for MyFreeTaxes
9. We provide weekly data updates throughout the tax season and break it out by zip, city, county, state, and United Way service area. You CANNOT use this data for promotional efforts.
10. United Way and H&R Block have offered MyFreeTaxes for 9 years!