The Albany Gazette - IRS Opens Volunteer Recruiting for Its Free Tax Prep Sites - Clear Start Tax Explains What VITA and TCE Can and Cannot Do for Taxpayers With Back Taxes

IRVINE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / October 14, 2026 / The IRS has begun recruiting community partners and volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs ahead of the next filing season. Clear Start Tax says the announcement is good news for taxpayers who have fallen behind, as long as they understand what a volunteer site is set up to handle and what it is not.

Taxpayers who are carrying a balance or have unfiled years can review which resolution options may apply to their situation before the filing season begins.

"Every filing season we meet people who did the right thing at a free site, got the current year filed, and walked out still thinking the older problem had been dealt with. It had not, because nobody at that site was ever in a position to touch it," said a spokesperson for Clear Start Tax, a national tax relief and resolution firm.

On October 1, 2026, the IRS issued IR-2026-118 announcing that it is seeking community partners and volunteers for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly free tax preparation programs ahead of the next filing season.

Both programs provide free tax preparation and rely on trained volunteers hosted by community organizations. The recruitment drive is aimed at staffing those sites in time for the coming season. In the firm's experience, these sites are scope limited by design: they are built around straightforward current year returns, and matters such as multiple back years, collection notices, liens, levies and penalty abatement requests generally fall outside what a volunteer preparer is authorized to work on.

"Filing compliance is the gate. In our casework, the conversation about an installment agreement, an Offer in Compromise or hardship status does not really begin until the missing returns are in, so getting the current year filed somewhere free is a genuinely useful first move," the spokesperson said.

To help taxpayers get the most out of a free preparation site without assuming it solves an existing tax debt, Clear Start Tax recommends:

• Use a free site to get the current year return filed on time, even if a balance from prior years is outstanding
• Pull an account transcript first so you know exactly which years are unfiled before you sit down with anyone
• Treat a CP14 series notice or any collection letter as a separate matter, since volunteer preparers are not there to respond to it
• Ask up front what the site's scope covers, rather than assuming back years can be prepared at the same visit
• Keep copies of everything filed, because relief requests are reviewed against the full compliance picture

By answering a few questions about what is owed and how many years are unfiled, taxpayers can find out whether they qualify for relief under the IRS Fresh Start Program.

"The mistake is treating a filed current return as the finish line. It is the entry ticket. What it does is reopen options that stay closed while years are missing," the spokesperson added.

About Clear Start Tax

Clear Start Tax is a nationwide tax resolution and relief firm specializing in helping individuals and businesses address IRS and state tax issues. With a team of experienced tax professionals, the company provides tailored strategies for resolving back taxes, negotiating settlements, and achieving long-term compliance.

Need Help With Back Taxes?

Click the link below:
https://clearstarttax.com/qualifytoday/
(888) 710-3533

Contact Information

Clear Start Tax
Corporate Communications Department
[email protected]
(949) 800-4011

SOURCE: Clear Start Tax

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

(B.Smith--TAG)