Client FAQs
USC VITA currently accepts both Zoom and in-person appointments. You must sign-up through signup.com and upload documents before hand to be accepted. Sign-up links are TBA.
Our site can get busy and you should expect a long wait before you are served by a volunteer. Our resources are limited and we can serve only so many clients in one session. We reserve the right to turn away clients if we are at capacity.
Depending on your individual situation, the process may range from 45 minutes to several hours. For each return, we prepare, review, print, and walk-through it with the client to ensure accuracy and satisfaction before filing.
We stop accepting clients 30 minutes before tax site closes, regardless of capacity.
We do not validate for parking. There is limited street parking available in front of the Community Computing Center site at Gateway; in addition, there is a parking lot next to the Shrine.
All of our volunteers have undergone extensive tax filing training and are certified by the IRS to file tax returns. Additionally, each return is quality reviewed twice before being sent to the IRS, so at least three volunteers individually check your return before filing to ensure no mistakes are made.
If you e-file with us, we send returns to the IRS within 3 days of your visit. The IRS can take from two weeks to a month to process your returns and deposit your refund.
First, you should always file your return on time to minimize your tax penalties. A tax extension does not give you more time to pay any taxes owed; it only extends the deadline for filing your return.
If you can pay all your taxes in 120 days or less, you may qualify for a short-term extension to pay from the IRS; check the IRS website.
You can also pay off your debt over time by applying for an installment agreement, which is a monthly payment plan. You may qualify for an online installment payment agreement with the IRS as long as you owe $50,000 or less.
Volunteer FAQs
A minimum volunteering of two shifts (approximately 1.5 hours/shift) per week during the tax season is required. Our tax season typically begins February and ends mid-April (3 months).
We host training session in both the Spring and Fall, but if you cannot make both sessions, you can prepare for the exams using the resources under “Volunteers.” Additionally, if you can not take the certification exams at the scheduled date, you can always take the certification exam on your own time (it is not timed and open internet).
No worries! There is no major requirement and all the necessary training is provided to you during our Fall and Spring training sessions. You could be a music major and volunteer with USC VITA!