SaveFirst

SaveFirst is an economic empowerment initiative that provides low-to-moderate-income individuals and families opportunities for financial skill development. SaveFirst provides and/or refers clients for financial wraparound services including: Financial Literacy Courses, Credit Building, Banking Services, Saving Services, Home Buying Programs, Match Savings Programs, Free Tax Preparation Services.

Impact America’s SaveFirst initiative’s champion program is its free tax preparation services offered in Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Low-to-moderate-income individuals and families gain access to free tax preparation services, where volunteer tax preparers make sure taxpayers can use all available tax credits and potentially receive the full amount of their refunds. During the 2023 Tax Season, SaveFirst and its coalition partners prepared returns for 7,043 households.

Each year college students, civic organizations, and other volunteers from within our communities become IRS certified tax preparers to offer free tax preparation to individuals and families. Without this community support, Impact America’s SaveFirst tax preparation sites would be unable to impact so many members of the community. During the 2023 Tax Season, volunteers represented well with 170 volunteers assisting taxpayers with free tax preparation.

Learn More about SaveFirst

Impact America’s SaveFirst initiative is a proud partner with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program that affords us the opportunity to offer free basic tax return preparation to those who qualify. Through the VITA program individuals and families have access to free tax preparation from volunteer tax preparers who have received extensive training to become IRS certified tax preparers. Using a VITA site provides accessibility of this service to our community members in rural areas, significantly improves the accuracy of submitted returns, and where eligible, the individual or family is able to use tax credits that can generate a refund. There is no fee for the submission of the return or the receipt of refunds. Through the SaveFirst VITA program, many individuals and families are able to use their refunds to pay toward debts, pay ahead on existing bills, open and/or add to savings accounts, begin saving for a down payment on a home or vehicle, or be able to take that much needed vacation. SaveFirst further assists by offering resources and referrals to assist taxpayers with their financial asset building.

SaveFirst Coalition Partners

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SaveFirst Funders

We are so grateful to the agencies, companies and foundations who support SaveFirst across our footprint.

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Impact America is an AmeriCorps Program