November 7, 2019

Triton’s RSVP seeks volunteers to offer free tax help

Tax time is almost right around the corner, and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of West Suburban Cook and Southern DuPage Counties located at Triton College will once again provide free tax assistance to individuals 60 years of age and older.

To make the program a success and provide service to those in need, RSVP is looking for individuals interested in volunteering to participate in this free Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program.

TCE is a community based partnership managed by the IRS that provides free tax return preparation assistance to low- to moderate-income taxpayers who are 60 and older, with disabilities and non-English speakers.

If individuals are looking for a way to help in the community then consider becoming a volunteer with the TCE program.

Here are five things the IRS wants individuals to know about becoming a TCE volunteer:

1. No previous experience is required. Volunteers receive specialized training from certified TCE volunteers and can serve as greeters, reviewers or tax preparers.

2. IRS provides free tax law training, e-file training and all the materials needed to prepare basic individual income tax returns.

3. The hours are flexible. Volunteers are asked to serve an average of three to four hours per week from February through April 14, 2020.

4. Volunteer sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools and other convenient locations. Tax returns are done by appointment only and 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during the week and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

5. RSVP’s TCE sites also offer free electronic filing of federal and state tax returns.

Anyone interested in volunteering to provide this service can attend a New Volunteer Orientation on Dec. 14 at 8:30 a.m. and the free training sessions, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2020, in Room R-221 of Triton’s Robert M. Collins Center. Volunteers will be taught how to assist adults in completing the 1040 federal and state tax forms. Materials are provided free of charge. The tax counseling service is sponsored annually by RSVP. For more information or to register for the training session, call (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3835 or 3603.