1. What made you want to participate in the VITA program?

     Elizabeth Clark (EC): Actually, I was told that I was going to participate in the VITA program. My cousin is the coordinator and decided that she wanted to assist members of the community that could not afford to pay to have their taxes done. It started off being just my cousin, mother-in-law and myself volunteering and over the years, other family members, friends, and community members have decided to assist. I started volunteering and really enjoy providing this service to others. 

2. Do you feel as if you are helping your community?

     EC: The service does help my community. Without this service, members of the community will have to rely on other tax services that charge hundreds of dollars. Some individuals don’t have dependents and are not entitled to some credits that will grant a high refund amount. Some individuals owe taxes and without this service, would have to pay a provider to process taxes and then pay the IRS.

3. What status are you and who can you prepare taxes for?

     EC: This is my eighth year with VITA. I am qualified to prepare advance returns and supervise/coordinate a VITA site (location).

4. Do you know how much money we have already saved taxpayers?

     EC: I do not know exact numbers but I do know that an average tax return cost $350 to process. Also, with this service, tax payers qualify for tax credits that they would not know to look for if they prepared their own taxes or have an individual prepare them.

5. How many active sites do we have this tax season

     EC: There are 5 active sites this year. One location is at the Myrtle Beach Chapin Library, two at Horry County Library (Surfside and Conway) and two at our local colleges (HGTC & Coastal Carolina).

6. Is there a certain number of people you plan to help this year?

     EC: We would like to services at least 350 at each location.

7. How long have you been a part of the program?

     EC: 8 yrs
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8. Why did you decide to become a volunteer?

     EC: I decided to volunteer to help my cousin out. She was passionate about providing this service and it was taking a lot of her time. So, at first I started to help her, but I continue to do this every year because I know without this service, it would cause a hardship on some in the community. With the economy being so bad, this service gives tax payers a little more money to do other important things with.

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9. What would you say is the best part of your volunteer work?
     EC: Knowing that I am helping someone is the best part of volunteering. There are some people that come with attitudes and complain but at the end of the day, the smile and the “thank you” from others, keeps me going and coming back each year.
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10. Why is it important that we file taxes for our community?
     EC: There are some people that qualify for Education Credits but was not aware until they came to our site, some are on a fixed income and can’t afford to pay a tax preparer, some take care of their disabled family members and don’t know their filing status and some just don’t know how to file. Some tax preparers just prepare the taxes without explanations and tax payers don’t file a correct tax return. It’s important that this service is available to the community each year and important that the community supports this service.

VITA x IRS

Q&A