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Oregon

Oregon Seeks Volunteers for Tax Preparation Programs

State officials and the IRS are recruiting volunteers to provide free tax filing help for low- and moderate-income residents.

Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Taxes

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The Oregon Department of Revenue and the IRS are seeking volunteers to provide free tax preparation assistance to residents across the state. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you plan to volunteer for a community tax assistance program in your area?

The Oregon Department of Revenue and the IRS are actively recruiting volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs. These initiatives provide essential free tax filing support to low- and moderate-income families across the state.

Why it matters

Volunteers are critical to expanding the number of available tax preparation sites and helping qualified families claim vital credits that improve their long-term financial security. Increasing the volunteer pool is necessary to prevent residents from being turned away due to capacity constraints.

During 2026, volunteers successfully completed 39,135 federal tax returns across 107 established sites in Oregon. Despite this effort, the state continues to see residents turned away each year as a direct result of ongoing volunteer shortages.

The players

Oregon Department of Revenue

This state agency is responsible for administering tax laws and overseeing programs that provide tax assistance to Oregonians.

Internal Revenue Service

The federal agency manages the tax code and provides the training and resources necessary for volunteer-led income tax assistance programs.

The details

Volunteers receive official training from the IRS to assist taxpayers in preparing returns and claiming key credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Oregon Earned Income Credit, and the Oregon Kids Credit. Those interested in supporting these programs must submit inquiries through the official IRS sign-up portal.

Timeline

  1. Volunteers prepared 39,135 federal tax returns throughout 2026.

  2. The recruitment drive was announced on October 22, 2026.

Market Dynamics

This recruitment effort follows a pattern set by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to utilize community support for tax services. The initiative addresses persistent capacity gaps that limit the availability of free tax preparation resources for moderate-income households.

Residents who qualify for these services gain access to professional filing assistance at no cost, which can help ensure they receive all eligible credits. Taxpayers needing help should look for upcoming local site announcements as the agency aims to increase overall service capacity.

The takeaway

Volunteers serve a vital role in ensuring that low-income families can navigate complex tax filings and claim the credits they are legally owed. Interested community members can sign up online to receive the training required to assist their neighbors during the upcoming tax season.

Further reading

For additional context on the state's tax requirements and support options, see the Oregon Taxes section.

More information

To review the program requirements or register to assist, visit the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up.

Live Poll

Do you plan to volunteer for a community tax assistance program in your area?