Fairchild tax volunteers wrap up tax season Published April 30, 2013 By Senior Airman Mary O'Dell 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE-Wash. -- As tax season ends, Fairchild's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance volunteers reflect on their progress and what improvements can be made in the years to come. The VITA tax center volunteers assisted in preparing 387 returns, totaling more than $757,000. "Taxes are notoriously frustrating, yet our volunteers were fantastic problem solvers," said Capt. Jessica Jacquay, Fairchild's tax assistance site coordinator. "They worked hard to get answers while displaying patience and professionalism at all times." Jacquay said that the majority of taxpayers who came to see them had returns too complicated to file through free online sites and often had questions that took extra research to answer. Volunteers were able to identify several trends in tax issues that affected military members and retirees such as education credits, retirement savings credits and how to maximize a refund through itemizing. "Next year we will ramp up our training to address these issues in depth and perhaps hold some Q-and-A sessions for taxpayers who have general questions about tax planning," said Jacquay. Although staffing the center with volunteers was a challenge, the American Red Cross sent dedicated volunteers to help streamline the process. "The American Red Cross volunteers are a fantastic resource," said Jacquay. "Their assistance gave us more time to spend on our appointments with members." With the help of 27 volunteers, the VITA tax center saved more than $60,000 in fees this year. The VITA center is still available to provide tax assistance throughout the year for military members, including those returning from deployments. For more information contact the legal office front desk at 247-2838.