For many Pickens County residents, tax season brings a stack of confusing forms and a fee they can’t afford. You can be the person who sits down beside them and makes it manageable.
United Way of Pickens County is recruiting volunteers for the upcoming season of Free File, its free, in-person tax preparation program.
This past season, 47 volunteers prepared 2,011 tax returns for local individuals and families, saving them $549,000 in filing fees. More than 1,000 of those neighbors were seniors.
Behind each of those returns is a person. Volunteer tax preparer Lori Baker remembers the widows she helped who had never filed taxes on their own.
“They were lost and so relieved after the taxes were completed,” Baker said. “You will gain so much more than what you give.”
Lori and her husband, Dan, joined Free File after retiring to South Carolina. Neither had prepared taxes for others before. They say the hardest part was believing they could do it.
“The biggest challenge is overcoming the thought that you aren’t qualified,” the Bakers said. “The training is very helpful and the Site Coordinators help tremendously with any questions. The tax program walks you through step by step.”
You can choose the role that fits you:
- Intake Coordinators greet taxpayers, check their documents and get them settled.
- Tax Preparers complete returns using tax software after earning IRS certification.
- Foreign Student Tax Preparers help international students at Clemson University, who face a different set of tax rules.
- Site Coordinators manage a site, review returns for accuracy and file them.
- Interpreters assist taxpayers who use Spanish, American Sign Language or other languages.
All training is free, and United Way guides you through IRS certification. There is no minimum time commitment. You can serve on weekdays, evenings or weekends, at Pickens County libraries, Clemson University and local businesses across the county.
Free File volunteers range from graduate students to retirees. What they have in common is a willingness to learn and a few hours to give.
“Person after person tells you how thankful they are that this is offered in their community,” the Bakers said.
To apply and sign up for free training, visit uwpickens.org/tax-volunteers or call 864-850-7094.