It’s December, so you’re focusing, as you should, on holiday plans. But the arrival of the last month of the year also means that the 2025 tax-filing season is almost here.
Lots of taxpayers already are planning to file as early as they can. And many do so by using free and personal tax preparation and filing help two nationwide programs, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).
Today the Internal Revenue Service announced that those services again will be available thanks in part to $53 million in grants awarded to organizations that support 315 VITA and 41 TCE services.
Three-pronged tax partnership: The annual VITA and TCE operations provide tax help to taxpayers who want, but cannot afford, personal tax help. The volunteer tax preparation programs also are available for those have special needs, such as language barriers, or specific tax concerns, such as military taxpayers.
The operations are possible thanks to a three-way partnership.
First, there are the people who volunteer to help their community neighbors fulfill their tax responsibilities. If you’re interested in helping, your assistance is welcome.
Once you volunteer, the IRS will provide tax law training, certification, and oversight. If you’re interested, the IRS is looking to fill a variety of volunteer tax-help positions.
Finally, the organizations that get the grants —ranging from non-profit agencies to faith-based organizations to community centers to schools to large employers — provide the physical locations and support for VITA and TCE volunteers at locations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
The full list of the IRS’ latest grants to VITA and TCE sponsoring groups gives you an idea of the variety of participants and where across the country they are located.
While the 356 total VITA and TCE grantees is a substantial number, there actually will be more tax help sites than the grant number. Veteran VITA and TCE volunteers note that the organizations that get IRS grants often support multiple volunteer filing assistance locations throughout their areas.
Tax help history: The VITA program, created in 1969, assists underserved communities, such as low- and moderate-income individuals. This generally means filers who make $67,000 or less.
Other VITA clients include persons with disabilities and those who speak limited English.
The TCE program, established in 1978, provides free tax counseling and federal return preparation to individuals who are age 60 or older. TCE volunteers generally focus on tax issues of interest to older filers.
Both VITA and TCE provide free federal tax return preparation and electronic filing. Help at the sites typically is available during the normal federal income tax return filing period, which is from January 1 to April 15.
Specifics for 2025 not yet set: While the list of the 2025 grant recipients gives you an idea of which areas you will find VITA or TCE locations next year, location specifics aren’t yet available.
The sites usually are at easily accessible locations, such as community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, and shopping malls.
When the 2025 tax filing season does begin next January, you can locate the nearest VITA site by using the IRS' online locator tool.
TCE sites, which are operated by the AARP Foundation's Tax Aide program, can be found using the AARP Site Locator Tool.
You also might find these items of interest:
- 24 states will participate in IRS’ enhanced 2025 Direct File
- Special clinics help low-income taxpayers resolve other IRS issues
- VITA & TCE volunteers can help some filers complete their taxes (2024 filing season)
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