VITA Program Offers Free Income Tax Preparation Services

Tax season can be a major headache, but having your income tax return prepared for free can alleviate at least a little of that headache. 

In Kansas City, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) is sponsored by the University of Missouri Extension in partnership with agencies in the Kansas City Metro Tax Coalition, including the United Way of Greater Kansas City, which helps taxpayers schedule appointments through its 211 resource and referral line. 

Individuals whose annual income is $64,000 or less qualify for free tax prep from an IRS-certified volunteer through VITA. The program is sponsored by an Internal Revenue Service grant, and seniors ages 60 and older are eligible for free tax preparation through the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) grant. 

There’s no income limit for the TCE program; it’s strictly based on age. 

“We have 14 tax sites across Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas,” said Lindsay Tarasovic, a program coordinator with University of Missouri’s VITA program. “There are six counties in that metropolitan area that our volunteers serve: Class, Clay, Jackson and Platte Counties in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas.” 

In addition to the tax-preparation sites, the organization also can share a link to a free software program for people who would qualify for VITA but who prefer to prepare their own returns, Tarasovic said. The income limit for that program is higher - $79,000 for the 2024 tax season.

The $64,000 income limit is given by the IRS as a guideline rather than a firm cutoff, “so we have some flexibility in serving people that may need the services but are unable to pay for a paid preparer or do the return on their own,” she said.  

“Our goal, and the goal of the IRS, is for 90% of our taxpayers to be in that low- to moderate-income range,” Tarasovic added. 

Last year, the program served nearly 5,000 taxpayers, and Tarasovic expects this year’s numbers to be a bit higher. 

Nationally, the VITA program prepares close to 3 million tax returns, she said. 

Taxpayers need to bring to their appointment a photo ID and the Social Security cards of each member of the family who will be counted on the return, along with all of their tax documents. 

This year’s tax deadline is April 15, and VITA is scheduling appointments through mid-April. To make an appointment, call the United Way at 211. For more information, visit www.kcmetrofreetaxes.org.