VITA/TCE partners and volunteers,
Congratulations on completing another filing season. This filing season was longer than we expected and was filled with unexpected challenges. But I’m very impressed with the ways you overcame those challenges.
Your VITA and TCE sites started out very strong this filing season. Unfortunately, everything changed in March as sites began to close. We appreciate the care you took in deciding what was best for the health of your volunteers and the taxpayers you serve. We also thank you for keeping in touch with your IRS-SPEC contacts so that we could be sure that IRS.gov accurately showed which sites were open.
I’m happy to report that VITA/TCE sites still submitted nearly 2.4 million returns. That’s 2.4 million individuals and families who received free, quality tax return preparation. And we know that these were “quality” tax returns because the reviews performed by our employees showed an accuracy rate was 94%.
I especially want to thank those of you who used alternative filing methods to continue helping taxpayers. Whether you offered Facilitated Self Assistance, Virtual VITA, a safe drop-off method or some combination, your willingness to try new approaches shows just how dedicated you are to serving your communities.
Finally, I’d also like to thank you for helping us spread the word about Economic Impact Payments. Many of you reached people who don’t normally file a tax return, including people experiencing homelessness. Through this outreach, you were able to positively impact the lives of many Americans.
As we set our sights on next filing season, we look forward to working with you to expand our cause to even more people. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Thanks again for your efforts this filing season.
Frank Nolden
Director, Stakeholder Partnerships,
Education and Communication (SPEC)