What we do
Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income Vermonters. We assist individuals and families in filing Federal and State income tax returns, Vermont Renters Credits, and Homestead Declarations/Property Tax Credits. We work closely with our dedicated group of volunteers to provide assistance to over 2,000 CVOEO clients. Our program runs from February 1 through Tax Day, after which we offer year round tax support on a more limited basis.
Interested in volunteering? Please see further down!
During tax season, we offer in-person and drop-off services. For an in-person appointment please arrive 15 minutes early to complete all of the necessary paperwork prior to meeting with your tax preparer. If you have any questions about the forms, your volunteer will be happy to assist you when your appointment begins.
For a drop-off appointment, please request this when calling to schedule your appointment. We will email or mail you the documents to fill out prior to your arrival. When you arrive, we will make copies of your documents and scan your IDs, go over everything with you and schedule your pick-up time for next week. Make sure your voicemail is set up in case we have any questions.
For a Vermont Housing Credit appointment please request this service when scheduling. See the pop out below related to Renter Credits and Property Tax Credits to see what to bring to your appointment. Please arrive 15 minutes early to fill out all of the necessary paperwork.
When calling to make an appointment please ask to schedule the type you need:
- 60 minute - standard appointment
- 90 minute - complex appointment (multiple years to file, over 7 W-2s or 1099’s, small businesses, large families with multiple children in college etc.)
- 15 minute - Drop-Off appointment
- 15 minute - Vermont Housing Credit appointment (Renters and Homesteads)
- Walk-ins may be available for the use of a laptop to utilize MyFreeTaxes.com and file yourself.
During the off-season (after Tax Day) please call CVOEO to make an appointment. Our services are offered on a case by case basis and are limited due to less availability from our pool of volunteers.
Our IRS-Certified preparers are only trained to assist you in filing specific tax forms, and some more complex tax situations are Out of Scope. To see the full list provided by the IRS click here.
We cannot help you if:
- Your total family income was more than $64,000 in 2023
- You were not a resident of the US all year last year
- You do not have a social security card for yourself and for each person you want to claim on the tax return
- You do not have all your tax statements - W-2 forms, 1099 statements, etc.
- You received any rental income or farm income
- You have out of state returns
- You have income from non-US sources
- You need to file a Schedule C for self-employment purposes and have inventory, depreciation, employees, business use of home, more than $20,000 in expenses, or a business loss.
If you are eligible, you may schedule online in Chittenden County.
Chittenden County
2023 scheduling will begin late in January, and appointments begin February 1.
To schedule an appointment by phone during tax season, please call 2-1-1. To schedule an appointment online please first read our eligibility guidelines first. We have many appointments available during the tax season, scheduling approximately 175 appointments per week. If you are unable to make your appointment, please reschedule by calling 211 or following your email link at least 24 hours before the appointment.
For assistance after Tax Day (April 15, 2024), please call 802 863 6248 X718.
Tax Season Hours
- Mon & Wed: 9am-4pm
- Tues & Th: 9am-8pm
- Sat: 10am-3pm
Franklin and Grand Isle Counties
Please have all forms ready before you call to make an appointment.
To schedule an appointment, please call Rebecca Moyer at 802 527 7392 X107. Appointments are available Monday through Thursday, from 10:00AM-3:00PM.
FGICA will be doing both drop-off and in-person services at 5 Lemnah Drive, Suite #5, St. Albans, VT.
If necessary, Rebecca is able to complete Homestead Declarations and Renter's Credit entirely over the phone.
Addison County
Call 802 388 2285 for information and to schedule an appointment. All taxes will be done in-person at 54 Creek Road, Suite A in Middlebury Hours TBD.
Items to bring to your appointment
- Picture ID (such as a current driver’s license)
- Copy of last years tax return (federal and state)
- Social security cards or ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) letters for all members of your household, including children - we can’t file your taxes without these
- Birthdates for all members of your household, including children
- Income documents for ALL income received in the year(s) you are filing for. For example:
- W-2 (job)
- W-2G (gambling), 1099-G (gambling)
- 1099-R (retirement/pension), 1099-SSA (social security)
- 1099-INT (interest), 1099-DIV (dividends)
- 1099-B (sale of asset)
- 1099-MISC (misc. income), 1099-NEC (self-employment)
- 1099-C (cancelled debt)
- Health Insurance documents: 1095-A, 1095-B, 1095-C
- All child care expenses and daycare provider’s social security number or EIN (employer ID number)
- Education expenses (tuition, books, room and board) and any 1098-T (tuition)
- Property Tax Credit, Property tax bill from your town (current and last years) and income from everyone living in your house who is not your spouse
- Mobile home lot rent form LRC-147
- Bank routing and account numbers (if you want direct deposit of your refund)
Other reminders and notes
- Please come 15 minutes early to complete the intake forms
- Married-filing-joint and wishing to electronically file, BOTH SPOUSES must be present to sign the return
Vermonters and their families that earn under $73,000/year are eligible for myfreetaxes.com. Complete your tax return from the comfort of your own home.
There is phone/online assistance if you need, or you can call your local Community Action Agency. If you make over $73,000 you can still use the MyFreeTaxes.com website, for a modest fee.
If you only need to file a Renter Credit or Homestead Declaration/Property Tax Credit, you can do so online at myvtax.vermont.gov.
For assistance in filing these forms follow the instructions for your county to schedule an appointment. If you are unable to leave your house please say so. We may be able to help you. For basic information about the Renter Credit go here tax.vermont.gov/individuals/renter-credit. For information about your Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit please go to tax.vermont.gov/property-owners/homestead-declaration.
What to bring when filing your Renter Credit:
- Income verification documents, Social Security Card, and Photo ID.
What to bring when filing your Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit:
- Income verification documents for everyone living in your house, except your jointly filed spouse, Social Security Card and Photo ID.
- If you own a mobile home or you bought your house through Champlain Housing Trust, Please bring your LRC-147 to declare Lot Rent.
- To file a Renter Credit or Homestead Declaration/Property Tax Credit online, you can do so at myvtax.vermont.gov.
Community Action runs an extraordinarily successful VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, working closely with the IRS, United Way, AARP, Age Well, Champlain College, St. Michael’s College, UVM, local translators and the VT State Tax Department. VITA is a federally funded program that offers free tax help for low-to-moderate income taxpayers, elderly taxpayers and military personnel and their families.
Students from Champlain College, UVM, and St. Michael’s College are granted college credits for participation in the program. Last year, more than $2.1 million in federal and state refunds and credits was returned to the Vermont community as a result of volunteer tax preparers working with individuals and families at Chittenden, Addison, and Franklin/Grand Isle Community Action.
For more information, contact 802 863 6248.
CVOEO would like to particularly thank CEDO for their ongoing support of our tax preparation services for Burlington residents.
- If you want to check on the status of your Vermont state tax refund, go to myvtax.vermont.gov and click on “Check the status of your Return” under the “Returns” section.
- To check on the status of your Federal Income tax refund, go to irs.gov/refunds
- To make a payment to Vermont go to myvtax.vermont.gov/
- To make a payment to the IRS go to irs.gov/payments.
The Vermont Department of Taxes' phone number is 802-828-2865. To reach someone on the telephone at the IRS, read below.
- The number for the IRS, for individual taxpayers is 1 800 829 1040.
- The automated system will ask you to choose your language.
- After you’ve selected your language, Don’t choose Option 1, regarding refund info. Instead, select option 2 for “Personal Income Tax”.
- Then, press 1 “form, tax history, or payment”.
- Next, press 3 for “all other questions.”
- And, press 2 for “all other questions.”
- When the system asks you to enter your SSN, Don’t.
- It will then ask two more times before it prompts you with another menu.
- Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.
- Press 3 for all other inquiries and the system should transfer you to an agent.
Volunteering for VITA is an honorable task that requires commitment throughout the season, and training beforehand to become an IRS certified VITA volunteer preparer.
As a volunteer, you may have the option to meet with clients in person or work remotely entering tax info into our online system. Once you get the hang of it, taxes are relatively straightforward and volunteers find it very rewarding to help our clients navigate the complexity of the U.S. tax process.
Why Volunteer:
- Learn how to do taxes
- Assisting low income tax payers to obtain valuable credits
- Build your resume
- Give back to your community
- Bonus- file your own taxes for free!
Qualifications:
- A basic understanding of computers (access to computer if volunteering from home)
- Conversational fluency in speaking and reading English
- A desire to support your community are the only qualifications.
- Availability 2-4 hours/week, Max. 50 hours/week, Avg. 6 hours/week (coming 1-5 days/week)
Other VITA volunteer opportunities:
- Scheduling Assistant
- Greeter/Support Staff
- Post-season Data Entry
Appointments
- To schedule an appointment in Chittenden County: call 2-1-1
- To schedule an appointment in Franklin/Grand Isle Counties: call Rebecca Moyer at 802 527 7392 X107
- To schedule an appointment in Addison County: call Mark Demers at 802 388 2285