The Yolo County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Coalition’s efforts this tax season to help local residents claim their Earned Income Tax Credit has brought more than $1.7 million back to the pockets of low- and moderate-income Yolo County families, Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada has announced.

“Approximately 1,111 federal tax returns were filed at Yolo County VITA sites,” said Yamada, D-Davis. “This year marks the largest growth in the coalition’s effort to help Yolo County taxpayers file for the Earned Income Tax Credit.”

The federal government created the tax credit in 1975 to offset the burden of Social Security taxes on low-income families.

The UC Davis Students for VITA, RISE Inc., Yolo County Children’s Alliance, Yolo Family Resource Center, the IRS and Yamada’s office formed the Yolo County VITA Coalition in 2011 to help low-income families file their tax returns and apply for the tax credits for which they are eligible.

Each group provides volunteers for the IRS to train in tax preparation and hosts VITA tax preparation sites throughout the county. In 2013, 90 coalition volunteers hosted 12 tax preparation sites and helped more than 1,000 families claim the tax credit.

“Volunteers are critical in this effort to help Yolo County families maximize their tax refunds,” Yamada said. “I am grateful that so many people are willing to dedicate their time and energy to this project.”

Yolo County residents are invited to apply to become VITA volunteers; no experience is necessary. People with experience in tax issues and those who are bilingual are especially needed.

Those interested should contact Yamada at 530-662-7867 or 800-965-6765 or [email protected]. For more information about the IRS VITA Program, visit www.irs.gov.

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