United Way of the Lowcountry partners with the Beaufort County Human Services Alliance and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free, confidential, and secure preparation and e-filing of tax returns to qualified taxpayers through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Staffed by local volunteers, VITA prepares and files income tax returns for individuals and families with incomes under $60,000; non-English speaking taxpayers; individuals with disabilities; and persons 60 years of age and older.
Last year, a group of dedicated VITA volunteers filed 1,797 free tax returns last year in Beaufort and Jasper Counties — generating more than $2.6 million in tax refunds.
Getting Your Taxes Filed Free, Fast and Safe Has Never Been Easier!
PLEASE NOTE: All sites are first-come first served. A few sites currently set up appointments. The last tax return of the day is started one hour before the site closes. Please remember the people helping you are volunteers and are not being paid, so we appreciate your patience.
View all of VITA’s filing options below to have your 2022 income tax return prepared and e-filed by our IRS-certified volunteers.
- Filed For You: For a listing of Lowcountry VITA site locations, please click HERE or on the image to the right to download a flyer listing 2023 locations.
- Languages Spoken: English, Spanish.
- Filed Yourself: Visit myfreetaxes.com and file your own tax return. It’s simple, fast and secure. Support is available via the FAQ section.
Click the image above a listing of 2023 VITA dates, times and locations in English/Spanish.
Join VITA for a Fiesta Fun Tax Education Day!
Hardeeville Recreation Center
285 John Smith Rd.
Hardeeville, SC 29927
Saturday, March 18 | 2pm – 7pm
Volunteers and Spanish speaking interpreters will be onsite to prepare your taxes for free and answer tax, financial and legal questions! Plus a food truck, kids’ activities & music! La Pantera Radio will broadcast live both days from 2pm to 4pm. Click HERE for additional information.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Please bring the following items to the VITA site to make it easier to prepare your return:
- Last year’s Federal Income Tax Return (2020 and 2021 income tax returns)
- Social Security Cards for you, your spouse (if married), and all dependents
- Correct birth dates for all names that appear on the return
- All W-2’s for 2022, including spouses
- Form 1098 – Mortgage interest, property taxes
- Form 1099 – DIV, G, INT, MISC, Q, R, RRB, SSA for 2022
- Voided check and savings account number for direct deposit of your refund (Optional, but it gets your cash to you fast)
- A Photo ID card (driver’s license, etc.), including spouse’s, if married and filing joint returns
- For Dependent Care Credit, bring care provider’s name, address, SSN/EIN, and amount you paid
- For Education Credit, bring 1098T or 1098E and amount paid for qualified expenses
- For Premium Tax Credit, bring 1095-A (Health Marketplace Statement)
- Letter 6475 – 2022 Economic Impact Payment
- Letter 6419 – Child Tax Credit Payments
If married and filing a joint return, both spouses must come to the VITA site.
VITA volunteers will NOT prepare Schedule D (Complex), Schedule E, Employee Business Expenses, Moving Expenses, Nondeductible IRA
Click HERE or on the image on the right to download an IRS fact sheet (English/Spanish) on what tax forms VITA will and will not prepare as well as what documents to bring with you.
Click the image above to download an IRS flyer on what tax forms to bring along in English/Spanish.
Child Tax Credit Information
Eligible families will receive advance Child Tax Credit payments of up to $300 for each child younger than age 6 and up to $250 for each qualifying child ages six to 17. Watch an IRS video to learn more.
You may also opt out of the Advanced Child Tax Credit payments. Visit the portal here, which is now live.
VITA Volunteers Needed
The key factor for VITA’s success is its volunteers. United Way provides free training, and all VITA sites are staffed with IRS Certified VITA Volunteers to prepare tax returns in the program.
We need the support of the community in spreading the word of this free tax preparation service.
In addition to traditional face-to-face tax preparation, Lowcountry residents have the option of filing a simple return through MyFreeTaxes, a secure and free site.
Click HERE for more information.
Please click HERE if you are interested in becoming a VITA volunteer.
