Lend a Hand with tax preparation: Make a difference in your community

Can you lend a hand with tax preparation?

Since 1971, through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has supported community organizations that provide volunteer assistance to eligible individuals who need help to prepare their income tax and benefit returns.

Lend a Hand!

If you have a basic understanding of income tax and want to help out in your community, Lend a Hand! Become a CVITP volunteer. You can register to become a CVITP volunteer at www.cra.gc.ca/volunteer, from late October to April 30. Find a Volunteer Tax Preparation Clinic near you that offers a program and sign up! The CRA will support you by offering training and tax software.

Your impact as a volunteer

Last year, over 17,000 CVITP volunteers helped complete more than 630,000 income tax returns, lending a hand to thousands of people in communities across the country. CVITP volunteers helped individuals with modest incomes and simple tax situations such as:

• social assistance recipients
• newcomers to Canada
• seniors
• students

Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a tax expert!

As a CVITP volunteer, you do not prepare tax returns for complex situations such as:

• returns for deceased persons
• individuals who file for bankruptcy
• self-employed individuals
• individuals who report capital gains or losses
• individuals who report employment expenses
• individuals who report business or rental income and expenses