Volunteers help prepare tax returns in Butler County
Laura Ankrom first started volunteering for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program about nine years ago when she was trying to get accounting experience in hopes of pursuing a career in the field.
Even now, having been employed in the accounts payable department with Butler County for several years, Ankrom said she enjoys helping people file their taxes through VITA and plans to volunteer again this year to provide the free service.
“Whenever we get older clients who are very stressed out about it — they bring boxes and boxes of receipts — it's nice to be able to assist them,” Ankrom said. “I like to be there to help them.”
The VITA program is a national initiative by the IRS, administered locally in Butler County by the Center for Community Resources. The program is a free tax preparation service for households earning less than $60,000 annually. The Center for Community Resource’s VITA team specializes in ensuring local, state and federal taxes are accurately prepared. The program runs from Jan. 21 until April. Tax returns are due Tuesday, April 15.
Phil Schmeltzer, VITA coordinator with the Center for Community Resources, said the local agency operates five sites — four of which are in Butler County, including sites in Butler, Cabot, Cranberry Township and Slippery Rock. Schmeltzer said the program has been in Butler County for about 13 years, and provided tax assistance to nearly 2,000 people in 2024.
“We're umbrellaed under the IRS. They coordinate it, they provide training resources, tax software to prepare taxes,” Schmeltzer said. “Last year, across our five sites, we completed 1,900 tax returns that brought over $2 million back to the taxpayers. We saved taxpayers over $450,000 in tax preparation fees.”
People who utilize VITA will need to bring the documents necessary for most tax agencies; including their 2024 tax documents, valid ID and their Social Security card.
An appointment with VITA lasts about an hour. The volunteer will review tax documents with the client and take them through each line on the tax form to ensure the client gets the correct amount owed to them, or the amount owed back to the IRS.
According to Schmeltzer, the person preparing the tax return varies by location, but volunteers are randomly paired with clients.
“When people schedule their appointment, they don't have a choice of who; they are assigned randomly,” Schmeltzer said. “There's an ethics test from the IRS that's more around the fact that we're not allowed to take money. Over all the years I've been doing this, we've never had anyone complain about confidentiality.”
Schmeltzer also said that although each volunteer is trained to prepare tax returns, not all of them work in a financial field. He said the Center for Community Resources has been able to recruit volunteers year after year, who help keep the program running and successful.
“Our volunteers come from many different walks, and most by far, they're not accountants by trade,” Schmeltzer said. “It's all these volunteers who decide they're going to give up their Saturdays, but they like doing it.”
Bill Lonett, a 13-year volunteer with VITA, works in banking, and said the ever-changing tax laws and even terminology can make it difficult for the average person to complete their return each year — especially when it’s the only tax form they do in a year. He said meeting face to face with a person can break the ice so they feel better about asking questions and learning about the filing profess.
“I think having another person sitting across from them, it gives them a comfort that it's done right,” Lonett said. “We’re there to answer their questions. For some cases, we can be consulting for folks.”
On Friday, Jan. 17, Schmeltzer led a training session getting students of Slippery Rock University certified to be VITA volunteers. Nearly 20 SRU students took the session, which took place on the university’s campus, to help out with the program. Schmeltzer said the program would help participants get experience in finance.
Sam Nuss a junior accounting major at SRU, said he is volunteering with VITA after learning about the program from his adviser.
“My adviser told me about this and it counts for three credits,” Nuss said.
Taylor Smesko, a junior accounting major at SRU, said she also heard of the VITA opportunity from her adviser. She said the program is giving her a chance to try out tax preparation before joining the workforce.
“I’m just trying out different areas,” Smesko said. “It’s a good way to get experience with it in the field.”
Lonett, too, said going through the training each year helps ensure that volunteers can get the best tax return results for their clients.
“We give them some tax structure on how their deductions can work better for them,” he said. “I feel a very good feeling about helping these folks out.”
To schedule an appointment with VITA, dial 211. Anyone can call to make an appointment, and Ankrom recommends people who are unsure about their eligibility call the service to see if they can be scheduled.
“It is indeed free,” Ankrom said. “A lot of people don't believe that it is free. Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are on the borderline or you don't know what qualifies, definitely call and ask if we could help you.”
