Volunteer Tax Preparers Needed in Stone, Taney Counties

University of Missouri Extension and the Healthy Families Taskforce of Stone and Taney counties are looking for volunteers to provide free tax counseling and basic income tax return preparation during the next filing season, Jan 28, 2013, to April 15, 2013.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program provides free tax preparation to low-moderate income working families.

The Healthy Families Taskforce of Stone and Taney counties is committed to helping low-moderate income taxpayers receive tax refunds and provide an economic benefit to the community.

During the 2012 tax season, volunteers prepared over 1,000 federal and state tax returns in Stone and Taney Counties with an economic impact estimated at $2,495,012 to the local economy.

According to Nellie Lamers, a family financial education specialist with University of Missouri Extension, volunteers are asked to work at least four hours per week during tax season at the VITA sites in Stone and Taney counties.

“While volunteers need basic computer skills, accounting experience is not required,” said Lamers.

A volunteer orientation and training will be held Jan. 11 and Jan. 12, 2013 at College of the Ozarks.

MU Extension and the IRS provide free training and all the materials needed to prepare basic individual income tax returns.

If you would like to volunteer, contact Nellie Lamers with MU Extension at (417) 546-4431, toll free at 1-888-504-0443, or by e-mail at lamersn@missouri.edu for an application, or visit our website: http://extension.missouri.edu/taney to download an application.