U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) is seeking to permanently extend a program where the IRS partners with community organizations to provide tax preparation services to low-income taxpayers through legislation he introduced on Thursday.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Permanence Act, H.R. 2901, would permanently authorize the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) matching grant program that provides tax preparation services for taxpayers earning $54,000 per year or less. The bill would ensure that VITA grant recipients maintain high accuracy rates in their tax prep work.
“While the leadership of the IRS has been the subject of controversy in recent years, the work done through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program must continue,” Curbelo said. “The VITA program is critical for low-income Americans and ensures taxpayers can confidently file returns without fear of being scammed by fraudulent preparers.”
Curbelo introduced the bill with bipartisan support from U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL). Curbelo and Davis previously led 55 congressional members in calling on House appropriators to maintain funding for the VITA program.
“The VITA program is an essential resource to families,” Davis said. “This bill helps ensure that VITA centers will continue to help millions of families by providing high-quality free tax preparation services and building assets for the future via financial literacy tools and savings strategies.”
Curbelo also called on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to preserve funding for VITA and similar programs during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in May.