Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

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*Please see this page for up-to-date information on our programs and services during COVID-19.*

Free Tax Preparation for Low-Income Taxpayers

Through QCAP’s FREE Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, volunteers provide basic income tax preparation for low-income individuals and families.

Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, QCAP’s Free Tax Site will suspend all in-person tax preparation for the remainder of the tax season. Please be advised that in response to the ongoing public health emergency, the IRS has extended this year’s income tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020. Massachusetts has also extended the filing deadline to July 15, 2020.

If you already had a scheduled tax appointment and still need tax preparation assistance, please call our tax line (617-657-5345) or reach out via email (taxes@qcap.org) to discuss alternative options to face-to-face preparation. If you would like to complete your taxes on your own, the United Way and H&R Block offer free tax filing to qualifying individuals.

VITA Eligibility:

To qualify for free tax preparation, your 2019 household income must be $56,000 or less, or you must have qualified for QCAP fuel assistance this season. The income limit is per return, so couples filing joint returns must have a combined income of $56,000 or less.
You must be a full-time resident of Massachusetts.

Please be prepared to provide:

Unexpired government-issued photo ID
Social Security card or document from Social Security Administration or IRS showing Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number for you, spouse, and ALL dependents
Proof of health insurance (1095 A/B/C, 1099 HC) if available
A blank check if you want direct deposit
Copies of 2018 income tax return
All W-2 and 1099 forms
Childcare expenses if applicable
College expenses if applicable
All 1098 forms including: mortgage interest, real estate taxes paid, student loan interest, and college tuition
If itemizing, please bring: medical receipts, charitable contributions and excise tax bills. If you were 65 or older in 2019, bring water/sewer and property tax bills.
If filing taxes on a married filing jointly return, both spouses must be present

Benefits of using VITA:

QCAP can help you save on expensive tax preparation fees
QCAP offers tax preparation services during convenient evening and weekend hours
QCAP provides tax preparation services in many languages. QCAP has VITA volunteers who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and other languages.
Last year QCAP helped 771 households file taxes, returning $1.48 million in tax refunds back to the community

QCAP is not able to prepare the following tax returns: