VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — With Tax Day approaching, some Southern Arizona residents may be wondering when they’ll finally sit down and file their returns. The deadline to submit federal taxes is April 15, and for those who need help, a local program is offering free assistance.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, run by the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, connects trained volunteers with people who need help preparing their tax returns. The service is available at Old Vail Middle School.
Program director Alex Casper with the VITA program says the goal is to make the filing process easier for taxpayers.
“One of our focuses of our program is maximizing refunds for our taxpayers,” Casper explains.
Volunteer Randy Brown says the assistance is open to anyone in the community. You do not have to live in Vail to get help.
“I think a lot of people out there are just absolutely afraid of doing their taxes," Brown says.
However, there are some eligibility requirements. The service is limited to households with incomes of $89,000 or less. Volunteers cannot assist active-duty military members, foreign students, or people who want to file as married filing separately.
In addition to filing returns, volunteers can help people understand their options if they owe money or want to plan ahead.
“We can help you in other ways, too. If you owe a lot and you need to set up a payment plan, we can guide you through that. If you owe a lot, we can help you with next year's tax planning."
Free tax help is available at Old Vail Middle School on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m., either by walk-in or appointment. Assistance is also offered Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for walk-ins only. The school is located at 13299 E Colossal Cave Rd, Vail, AZ 85641.
The volunteer also help explain recent tax changes, including provisions tied to President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful” bill. Some of those changes affect how tipped workers report income.
“If you go into a restaurant, and you get charged a gratuity because you're part of a large party, those are not qualifying tips. The server can't actually write those tips off. They have to be tips that are solely at the discretion of the patron,” Brown explains.
People planning to get help should bring a Social Security card, a photo ID and W-2 forms. If any documents are missing, volunteers can help guide taxpayers on how to replace them.
“That's our goal, we try to make it painless. There's some unique tax situations that nobody as a volunteer can be prepared for, but we work together as a team," Brown says.
“A lot of times people leave very relieved that they are now caught up on their tax filings and that they understand their tax situation, which is a large part of people's financial well-being is being caught up on their tax filings,” Casper explains.
Brown says the experience can even change how people feel about filing. “Doing taxes is fun!” Brown exclaims.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
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