Internal Revenue Service
Bill Morrow
William.A.Morrow@irs.gov
(860) 519-4928
135 High Street
Hartford, CT 06103
www.irs.gov
Type(s) of Volunteers Needed:
Attorney, Law student, Non-lawyer (e.g. JD graduate, tax preparer, other professional), Paralegal
Counties Served:
Fairfield County, Hartford County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, New Haven County, New London County, Tolland County, Windham County
Legal Practice Area:
Benefits (State and Federal) and Disability Assistance - Money, Debt, Small Claims, and Consumer Issues - Housing and Foreclosure - Business and Work (including Employment) - Veterans Affairs
Volunteer Capacity:
100+ volunteers
Organization Mission:
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program provides free tax preparation for low to moderate income families. All volunteers are trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service.
Volunteer Responsibility:
Full representation, co-counsel representation, and/or limited scope representation in Administrative Hearings., Full representation, co-counsel representation, and/or limited scope representation in Federal Court., Transactional matters., Writing, Drafting, Legal Research., Client mentorship and support., Preparing tax returns and providing tax relief help., Educating the public about the law and “Know Your Rights” (non-legal advice), Community-based outreach and engagement., In-office legal assistance and legal support (e.g. client interviews, eligibility intake, preparation of educational materials).
Volunteer Opportunity Description:
The VITA program volunteer will assist families and individuals with intake, interview, Federal and State income tax preparation using professional grade software. The volunteer will typically work closely with a non-profit organization that operates the program locally to accomplish this.
The volunteer can perform his or her responsibilities remotely.
Minimum Relevant Experience:
Little experience is necessary. My program offers training and support.
Legal Support Provided:
In-person legal trainings and workshops.
Mandatory volunteer training.
On-demand (online) or remote access to legal trainings.
Access to legal resources and legal forms.
Attorney mentorships and shadowing opportunities to volunteers.
Liability Insurance:
No, the program does not provide professional liability insurance to volunteers.
Volunteer Engagement:
Recognizing pro bono volunteers in our organization's communications and publications (e.g. annual reports, newsletters, media, email-blasts).
Hosting volunteer appreciation events.
Additional Information:
Volunteers can also earn Continuing Education credits by assisting in the program.