This year’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program was a tremendous success, with 26,409 tax returns filed at no cost to residents during tax season.
VITA is available every year to households earning up to $65,000 per year, who can then file their taxes for completely free by an IRS-certified professional. A partnership between United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County, Catholic Charities and the City of San Antonio, VITA provides free tax-prep for households that often focus on using those refunds on essential needs like housing, food and health care. VITA users pay absolutely no tax-prep fees, saving money and getting connected to their tax refunds.
In 2026, VITA users received $37.7 million in tax refunds and saved $5.6 million in fees that they would have normally paid to have their taxes filed for them.
All volunteers with VITA are trained and certified with the IRS, undergo 20 hours of training and must pass an exam specified by the IRS.
VITA helps ease financial struggles for families and strengthens economic stability for the entire community. While tax season may be over, VITA still offers year-round tax assistance. You can find more information about the program and how its services could aid them at vitasa.org or by calling United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County’s 211 Helpline.
