Lend a Hand in your community with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program

Did you know?

For 45 years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has supported community organizations across the country that run free tax preparation clinics. Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), community volunteers provide assistance to Canadians who need help filing 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 cra.gc.ca/volunteer, from late October to January. 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 contribution as a volunteer

Last year, more than 15,000 CVITP volunteers helped complete nearly 750,000 income tax returns, lending a hand to thousands of people in communities across Canada. CVITP volunteers helped people 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

Need more information?

For more information about the CVITP, to find out how to become a volunteer, or to find a participating community organization in your area, go to cra.gc.ca/volunteer, or call us at 1-800-959-8281

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