My Free Taxes to Focus on Outreach of Veterans: Need Organizations to Volunteer

By Debbie Gregory.

Since 2009, the MyFreeTaxes.com partnership has helped more than 4.5 million families claim approximately $6 billion in tax refunds and credits. The partnership is aided by collaborative efforts from the National Disability Institute, the United Way, Goodwill Industries International, with sponsorship from the Walmart Foundation.

MyFreeTaxes.com aides low to mid-level income families by providing free preparations and filing of state and federal tax returns for those families who earn less than $58,000 per year. The free tax preparations and filing can be done online utilizing the program’s software partner H&R Block at Home®. The program also provides free in-person preparations, filing and assistance at over 400 tax centers.

Currently, there are 37 million Americans who qualify for VA benefits, either through their service or through the service of a spouse or parent. These patriotic Americans have sacrificed so that others wouldn’t have to. These men and women and their children should receive every break and benefit that we can offer them.

More than 20% of  the more than 23 million Veterans living in the U.S. qualify for MyFreeTaxes.com’s services. That’s why, for the 2014 tax season, MyFreeTaxes.com is focusing on making their services available to eligible Veterans. The My Free Taxes partnership is looking for Veterans groups and organizations that would be willing to volunteer their facilities and/or members to provide self-assistance locations and support in order to make this service more accessible for Veterans.

Veteran organizations who are interested in participating are being asked to register with the National Disability Institute (NDI) in order to receive a free MyFreeTaxes.com URL. Participating Veteran organizations are to promote their URL to their Veterans, staff and community partners in order to expand usage of the service. Participant organizations will receive access to the MyFreeTaxes partner portal, where they can find training, online resources and access to technical help and assistance.

Certain regions and locations will receive assistance in the form of recruitment, funding, and an IRS-certified tax coach. NDI will train tax coaches and volunteers who work at Veteran sites. The NDI will also work with selected American Job Center regions and engage local Disabled Veteran Outreach Programs in order to boost the outreach of free services to include Veterans.

Those interested in registering for their own URL can do so here. Anyone interested in volunteering for MyFreeTaxes can contact Katie Metz at kmetz@ndi-inc.org