VITA announces free tax preparation

"Most people don't understand taxes," said Cliff Mast, site coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Paradise location at The Factory Ministries, 3293 Lincoln Highway East. "We as a group (of volunteers) work on de-mystifying them or just being a calming presence."

Mast explained that many clients who come to VITA for free tax preparation services feel a lot of anxiety about completing their taxes. "Our goal is to say, 'It's all right. We will take care of this. We will help walk you through it.'"

Mast, who has been a volunteer with VITA for nearly a decade, said that the Paradise site, which opened at the end of January, will be staffed with volunteer tax preparers each Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Thursday, April 10. The Paradise location is one of 15 sites located throughout the county. Free tax preparation through VITA is available at two sites in Elizabethtown, as well as sites in Columbia, Denver, Ephrata, New Holland, Hempfield, Manheim, Millersville, and Quarryville. Lancaster sites are located at HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College; Trinity Lutheran Church, 31 S. Duke St.; the United Way offices; and 245 W. King St. More information about hours or making an appointment, which is recommended, is available at http://www.uwlanc.org/vita. Individuals may also schedule by dialing 211. Pop-up sites may be available as well. In Lancaster County, VITA services are provided through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the United Way.

"(VITA services) are available to anyone with a household income under $70,000," said Mast, who explained that further parameters exclude taxes for rental properties and S corporations. "We don't do business returns," he said, but then added that Schedule C taxes for a side business would fall within VITA's wheelhouse. VITA will complete federal, state, and local tax forms as well as the PA-1000 form for those who qualify. "That is an extra rebate up to $1,000," he said.

According to Mast, the service starts with an intake form, which can be filled out online or may be sent ahead of the appointment by email. "We have everyone fill out an intake name, address, who is in the house, W-2, 1099, retirement income, etc.," he explained. "That helps us to interview and be sure we have all the correct information." Mast explained that taxes are done in person during a session that generally lasts less than an hour. "We enter information into software, and (documentation) goes back to (the client)," he said.

All VITA tax preparers are volunteers who are trained by the IRS to complete basic returns and are tested yearly. Mast recently received his enrolled agent certification, which he noted is the highest certification that the IRS bestows on a tax preparer. "It means I have learned about personal tax and business tax returns and representing people in front of the IRS," he stated. "I got a lot of training this last year to earn that." Mast recently opened Masterpiece Tax in Leola.

Mast said that in 2024, volunteers at the Paradise site completed 400 returns. "That's a huge amount of volunteer time," said Ellie Green, communications director with The Factory. "That's at least 400 hours, not to mention the time spent to get the certifications," she said. "It's an incredible gift to the community." Readers who would like to volunteer with VITA may visit the aforementioned website and click on the "Volunteer" tab.

More information about the VITA location at The Factory may be found by searching for "The Factory Community Board" on Facebook.