Carlmont VITA Income Tax Services
We are a certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site located in Belmont, California. We will prepare returns online only this year for those who qualify through a three-step process over Zoom.
Three Step Process
Step 1: Make an Intake Interview Appointment
a) Review eligibility criteria to qualify for our free tax preparation services
b) Sign up for an Intake Interview
To be completed before your Intake Interview
c) Print and complete Intake Interview Form
d) Print and sign Form 14446
Step 2: Participate in an Intake Interview
Call into Zoom during your scheduled time to review your tax information with our tax preparer. You will receive an email with a link to upload your tax documents (i.e. W-2 and 1099s) prior to the call. This list will give you an idea of what you will need to have with you during the Intake Interview.
Step 3: Review, Sign, and Submit Your Tax Return
One week after your intake interview, you will review your prepared tax return with our tax preparers. You will sign your efile consent form and our tax preparers will file your taxes on your behalf.
Eligibility Criteria
Low to Moderate Income
VITA Tax Services are designed for people with low to moderate income and relatively basic tax returns. Typically we complete returns with adjusted gross income (AGI) less than $66,000, but we can grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
Filing Status Cannot be Married Filing Separately
VITA Tax Return Centers in California cannot complete returns with filing status of Married Filing Separately because we are a community property state. You may file as Single, Married Filing Jointly, Widow(er), or Head of Household.
Additional Criteria
We can complete most tax returns, however some situations will cause the return to be “out of scope” of our services. For example, we cannot complete returns that include rental income or some instances of cancellation of debt. We will review your tax materials during the Intake Interview to ensure your return is within scope.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
Yes! We partner with VITA, an IRS program that certifies tax experts at local community nonprofits like United Way, to complete your state and federal taxes for free.
If you have lost or never received a tax document, the first place to try is your employer. Often your employer can quickly re-issue your tax forms to you. If that doesn’t work, you can request your tax documents from the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript.
The process will take a about a week after your scheduled Intake Interview.
The first step is to schedule an Intake Interview after you have determined that you are eligible for our program.
Before your Intake Interview, you will need to complete Form 13614-C Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet.
During the Intake Interview, the tax preparer assigned to your return will review your documents to ensure everything is accounted for to prepare your return.
Your tax return will then be prepared and quality reviewed by an IRS-certified tax preparer. We will schedule a time for you to Zoom with us to discuss your refund and the process for electronic signature and filing.
After taxes are filed we have heard from clients that they typically receive a direct deposit from the IRS within a few weeks.
Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to talk with one of our tax specialists about your situation, and you can let them know about any changes or answers you were unsure about before they prepare your taxes.