How to Find Free Tax Help from Nonprofit Tax Volunteers
Official IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program
The nonprofit VITA program is a free tax prep service run by IRS-certified volunteers. All volunteers are trained in tax preparation, and some of these volunteers are even actual IRS employees! If you are looking for someone to prepare taxes for you, the IRS VITA program is my personal recommendation.
The VITA program is subject to some eligibility limitations:
- People who generally make $67,000 or less
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers
However, I personally have never met an international student that makes more than $67,000 per year while on a F-1 visa, so most of us would definitely qualify! To find a VITA site near you visit the IRS VITA site locator. I've linked to it below.
VITA & Nonprofit Tax Volunteers by State
The way that the IRS VITA program works, is that they partner with Nonprofits in each state and locality. I've linked some of the websites to local VITA sites for a few states below:
California
Colorado
Maryland
New York
Washington D.C.
Contacting your University's Tax Office
Also, don't forget to reach out to your university's tax office! Many schools have a dedicated tax office or an international student office that provides tax guidance. Keep in mind that they cannot prepare your taxes for you, but they can help answer specific questions, such as:
- “Is my scholarship considered a compensatory fellowship?”
- “Am I a resident or nonresident alien for tax purposes?”
- “Does my country have a tax treaty with the U.S.?”
Indeed, your local university's tax office is probably the best source of general tax guidance, because they will be the most familiar with your situation.
I hope these resources are helpful!