Stafford County Public Schools have partnered with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grant program to create the first student-run tax preparation program in Virginia.
The VITA grant program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation for the under-served demographics such as persons with low-to-moderate income individuals, people with disabilities, the elderly, and those who speak limited English.
While most VITA programs are run by nonprofits and staffed by adults, the Stafford School Work-Based Learning Team has chosen to connect with the IRS Office of Stakeholder Partnerships to give students studying accounting the chance to train, volunteer, and earn work-based learning experience.
Colonial Forge High School is home to 14 students who are certified with the IRS, with an additional three from Mountain View High School. These students are equipped with the same knowledge and must take the same exam that any adult must take to volunteer in such programs.
VITA has five remaining clinics for this tax season, three of which are during the month of March. The next clinic will be at Colonial Forge High School on Friday, February 17. Appointment times are listed for 3 to 4:30 p.m., 4 to 5:30 p.m., and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Following that, VITA will hold a clinic at Mountain View High School with slots from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22.
During March, VITA will hold a clinic at Colonial Forge High School on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., another at CFHS on Saturday, March 25 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., and the final clinic for this tax season which will be held on Wednesday, March 29 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at Mountain View High School.
All of the clinics listed also allow for either virtual or in-person tax appointments, though clients must still visit a physical clinic to verify their identity before taking part in a virtual session.
A limited number of appointments may be made at tinyurl.com/scpsvita or by calling 540-658-6115.
