The US IRS is recruiting volunteers and community organisations for the VITA and TCE programmes, which provide free tax preparation services to eligible taxpayers during the upcoming filing season.
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced, on 1 October 2026, that it is recruiting volunteers and community organisations to help provide free tax preparation services during the upcoming filing season.
Two programmes drive this effort: the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programme and the Tax Counselling for the Elderly (TCE) programme. Both programmes connect eligible taxpayers with trained volunteers who prepare tax returns at no cost.
The IRS stated that volunteers and community partners play an essential role in expanding access to free, trusted tax preparation services across the country. The agency provides comprehensive training for all volunteer positions, regardless of prior experience or background.
Scale and reach in 2026
During the 2026 tax year, the VITA and TCE programmes recorded significant participation. More than 84,500 volunteers helped taxpayers file nearly 2.9 million tax returns. Community organisations hosted approximately 9,000 VITA/TCE sites, including schools, nonprofits, financial institutions, faith-based groups and other local entities. These sites served seniors, taxpayers with disabilities and residents of rural communities.
Flexible roles and opportunities
The IRS offers volunteer positions suited to different skill levels, interests and time commitments. Many sites provide flexible hours and virtual options. Volunteers come from diverse backgrounds, including students, retirees and professionals.
Organisations interested in hosting a VITA/TCE site receive direct support from an IRS relationship manager who discusses implementation details and answers questions about programme requirements.
How to participate
Interested volunteers can submit the VITA/TCE sign-up form available on IRS.gov. The IRS recommends submitting applications between October and January.
After submission, prospective volunteers receive a list of local VITA/TCE sites and an invitation to a virtual orientation within approximately 14 days. Additional programme details are available at the IRS Tax Volunteers section on IRS.gov.
