Taxpayer Education Interest Card Form - Department Of The Treasury

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Do you get a "kick" out of helping someone who really needs
Understanding Taxes Programs
help? Do you enjoy making a contribution in your community?
Since nearly everyone will have to pay taxes eventually, what
Are you willing to give a little of your time? Do you have an
better time to learn the basics than while in school? Besides,
aptitude for tax work? Are you good at meeting and dealing
many students already have part-time jobs or other sources of
with people from widely different backgrounds? Do you take
income requiring them to file a tax return. That's why the IRS
pride in doing a good job?
has three Understanding Taxes Programs for eighth grade,
If you answered "yes" to all or most of these questions, you
high school and post-scondary learners, which provide basic
are a prime candidate for one or more of the volunteer pro-
tax education to students.
grams that the Internal Revenue Service offers in your commu-
If you enjoy teaching, or helping others to teach, and are
nity. You are needed. The IRS is not able to offer individual tax
knowledgeable about taxation, you can help the taxpaying
assistance to everyone. However, the IRS does train volun-
citizens of tomorrow by teaching these programs.
teers to help people. You can be one of them.
Visit Tax Interactive “TAXI” at
This entertaining and educational website is a great way to
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
teach today’s youth about their tax rights and responsibilities.
VITA is one program where volunteers are needed. The IRS
trains volunteers to help people prepare basic tax returns for
Practitioner Education
those with a low to limited income, individuals with disabilities,
Tax professionals can learn about recent lax law changes at
and non-English speaking persons and elderly taxpayers. The
Practitioner Institutes, which will enhance the professional
volunteers serve in the community at neighborhood centers,
quality of the services they provide. These institutes are
libraries, churches, shopping malls and other convenient loca-
sponsored by qualified educational institutions, state and local
tions. Volunteers also provide assistance and return prepara-
governments, professional and other nonprofit organizations.
tion for prior year federal income tax returns, as well as, the
Qualified tax professionals who would like to volunteer to
earned income and advanced earned income tax credits. A
acquaint fellow practitioners with the latest developments in
number of locations also offer electronic filing. People also are
the tax field might enjoy serving in this program.
needed as instructors, site managers, publicity coordinators
Student Tax Clinics
and receptionists.
Perhaps you are willing to help a student in the field of taxation
Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
to get some "hands-on" experience providing counsel to tax-
TCE is another volunteer program where tax skills and a
payers whose returns are being examined. Law and graduate
helping hand are offered. TCE offers free tax help to people
accounting school students are given special permission to
who are 60 years or older. Many of the volunteers are retired
practice before the IRS on behalf of taxpayers who can't afford
themselves and are affiliated with nonprofit groups that have
professional help. As a volunteer, you can help with clinic
received grants to run a local TCE program. Grant funds are
operations or even serve as a Student Tax Clinic Director.
used to reimburse volunteers to pay mileage and other travel
Bank, Post Office and Library (BPOL) Program
expenses so they can go wherever they are needed - retire-
ment homes, neighborhood sites or private houses of the
This program offers a chance to give back a little to your
homebound. Some TCE sites offer electronic filing at no
community. The IRS supplies over 47,000 libraries, banks,
post offices, technical schools, state and local governments,
charge to the taxpayer. There are many volunteers opportuni-
ties available as instructors, tax assistors, site coordinators,
and similar facilities with free tax forms and instructions. Tax
Forms on CD-ROM and reference materials are available at
receptionist, and other important positions.
many participating libraries. Once the tax materials are placed
Community Outreach Tax Education
at these facilities, patrons still have to be directed to the proper
In the Community Outreach Tax Education program individu-
form, or booklet to suit their needs. That's where you can help.
als conduct lectures or seminars on some aspect of tax law.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinics
The presentations are targeted at groups of taxpayers who
have a common occupation or tax concern - farmers, retirees
The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) program provides
and small business owners. Outreach is offered year-round at
grants to organizations that provide legal assistance to low-
convenient community locations and at convenient hours,
income taxpayers in controversies with the Internal Revenue
including evenings and weekends. Tax education seminars
Service (IRS) and/or informs individuals for whom English is a
are tailored to the interests of each group attending. Tax return
second language of their tax rights and responsibilities. Under
preparation sessions cover federal tax forms line-by-line so
this program IRS is authorized to award qualifying organizations
that taxpayers can prepare their returns correctly.
matching grants of up to $100,000 per year to develop, expand
or continue qualifying low-income taxpayer clinics. LITCs are
Small Business Self-Employed Tax Program
administered and sponsored by accredited law, business, or
Through the Small Business Self-Employed Tax Program the
accounting schools where students represent taxpayers in tax
IRS offers a variety of business tax workshops, seminars and
controversies before the IRS or the courts. In addition, LITCs
courses in partnership with community sponsors. Our nation-
may be administered and sponsored by non-profit organizations.
wide sponsors include community, junior and technical col-
If you are interested in volunteering your services at one of the
leges, universities, trade schools, business and economic
clinics, please contact your local Taxpayer Education Coordinator.
development agencies and chambers of commerce. In addi-
tion to Federal taxes, many programs include state and local
In the case of all these programs, the Taxpayer Education
requirements through cooperative efforts with those govern-
Coordinator in your IRS district office can provide you with
ment entities.
further information about these opportunities. To get the most
up to date tax products and information visit us on the World
Department of the Treasury
Wide Web at
Internal Revenue Service
Publication 1275 (Rev. 8-99)
Catalog Number 62993C

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