Yes, an apartment community can bring free tax preparation on-site, but the property doesn’t prepare returns itself. The usual model is to partner with an organization that runs an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program, provide the space and the resident outreach, and let IRS-trained volunteers do the tax work. Planning should start in the fall, because filing season generally opens in late January and partner organizations line up their sites and volunteers before then.
This guide walks property and resident services teams through how a “tax day” works, who to call, what to provide and how to get residents to show up with the right paperwork.
What VITA and TCE actually are
VITA and TCE are IRS-supported programs in which trained volunteers prepare basic tax returns for free. According to the IRS page on free tax return preparation, VITA “generally focuses on serving taxpayers who meet the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) income guidelines” and lists people who “generally make about $70,244 or less” among those who can get help, along with persons with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers. TCE focuses on people age 60 and older, and the IRS notes that most TCE sites are run through AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program.
The IRS also says services vary by site depending on which volunteers are available, so confirm what your partner can handle before you promote anything.
Why property teams host tax days
For affordable, workforce and senior communities, a tax day is practical support residents actually use. The IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service estimates that about one in five eligible taxpayers do not claim the EITC, and reported that the average EITC in 2025 was $2,894. Free, trusted help close to home can make the difference between filing and putting it off.
Housing providers have done this at scale. In 2017, the New York City Housing Authority announced 22 free tax prep locations at its developments, double the prior year, working with nonprofit and bank partners. A single property won’t operate on that scale, but the model is the same: housing provides access and trust, and a tax partner provides certified volunteers.
For Texas tax credit properties, a tax day may also fit within broader resident services planning. Check how your specific program and compliance requirements treat it before counting it toward anything; our guide to TDHCA resident supportive services covers the documentation side.
Step-by-step: how to host a tax day at your community
1. Find a local VITA or TCE partner (October to December)
Start with the IRS VITA/TCE volunteer and partner page, which says organizations can “sponsor or host a free tax preparation site” by completing the IRS signup form, after which the IRS follows up. In practice, many properties have better luck contacting an existing local coalition directly, such as a United Way, a community action agency, a credit union or a university accounting program that already runs VITA sites.
Ask each potential partner:
- Do you set up temporary or one-day sites at housing communities?
- What dates in the season are realistic, and how many returns can you prepare per day?
- Do you offer in-person preparation, drop-off, virtual VITA or facilitated self-prep?
- What income or return-complexity limits does your site apply?
- What do you need from us: tables, private space, Wi-Fi, power, printing?
2. Choose the format
Common options include a one-day “tax day” in the clubhouse, a recurring weekly evening slot during filing season, or an information session in January followed by appointments at the partner’s nearby site. The IRS notes that volunteer sites are generally open nights and weekends, which often suits working residents.
3. Prepare the space
Ask your partner for its requirements, then plan for:
- A private or semi-private area so residents can discuss income and family details out of earshot.
- Reliable Wi-Fi and enough outlets for laptops and printers.
- A check-in table away from the preparation area.
- A waiting area with seating, water and, if families attend, a supervised kids’ activity.
- Clear accessible routes and parking.
Keep leasing staff out of the tax conversations. Residents should know that what they share with volunteers stays with the tax partner, not the office.
4. Promote early and repeat the message
Start outreach in early January with flyers, portal posts, texts and door hangers, then repeat it weekly. Translate materials into the main languages spoken at your community. Promote an appointment link or sign-up sheet if the partner uses appointments, and be clear about any eligibility limits the partner sets, without asking residents to disclose income to property staff.
5. Send residents a “what to bring” checklist
A tax visit can stall quickly if paperwork is missing. The IRS publishes a checklist of what to bring to a VITA or TCE site, including:
- Original photo ID for the filer and spouse.
- Social Security cards or ITIN notices for everyone on the return.
- Birth dates for everyone on the return.
- W-2s, 1099s and other income statements.
- Last year’s federal and state returns, if available.
- Bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit, such as a blank check.
- Total paid to a child care provider and the provider’s tax ID number.
- Form 1095-A, if the household had Marketplace health insurance.
The IRS also notes that for married-filing-jointly e-filed returns, both spouses must be present to sign. Put that line in bold on your flyer.
6. Run the day and follow up
On the day, your team handles welcome, wayfinding, timing and hospitality. The partner handles all tax work. Afterward, record attendance (counts only, not tax details), collect a short satisfaction survey and ask the partner whether a return visit makes sense. Our list of resident satisfaction survey questions includes event-feedback questions you can adapt.
A planning timeline
- October to November: Contact partners, confirm format and tentative dates.
- December: Lock dates, reserve space, draft and translate flyers.
- January: Launch outreach and share the document checklist.
- Late January to April: Host sessions during the partner’s season.
- After the season: Review attendance and feedback, and decide on next year.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Promoting before the partner confirms. Volunteer capacity varies, so get dates in writing first.
- Letting staff “help” with returns. Property staff should not give tax advice or prepare returns.
- No privacy. An open clubhouse with music playing is not the place to talk about income.
- Forgetting seniors. If you manage a senior or 55+ community, ask about TCE or AARP Tax-Aide specifically. Our senior apartment activities guide has more on scheduling for older residents.
- One flyer, one time. Repeat outreach weekly through filing season.
Pair it with year-round financial programming
A tax day works best as one part of a broader financial wellness calendar. Many communities follow it with budgeting, credit or savings workshops later in the year; see our guide to financial literacy workshops for residents. Senior communities might add a scam awareness workshop, since tax season is also a common time for IRS impersonation scams.
Frequently asked questions
Can our leasing staff prepare residents’ taxes?
They shouldn’t. Leave tax preparation to the VITA or TCE partner and its trained volunteers. Your team’s role is space, outreach and hospitality.
Is there an income limit for free tax help?
The IRS lists people who generally make about $70,244 or less as a group VITA can help and says individual sites may set their own limits. Confirm your partner’s rules before promoting.
What if no partner can come on-site?
Use the IRS VITA/TCE locator information to share nearby sites, and host a short January info session so residents know where to go and what to bring.
When should we start planning?
In the fall. Filing season generally runs from late January to April, and partners plan their sites and volunteer schedules before it starts.
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice. Tax rules, eligibility and program details change; confirm current requirements with the IRS and your VITA or TCE partner.
How Roseway can help
Roseway Resident Services plans and runs educational and resource programming for apartment communities, including partner outreach, scheduling, resident promotion, on-site coordination and follow-up reporting. We don’t prepare taxes; we help your team host the people who do, and build the tax day into a year-round resident support calendar. To plan a tax day or a wider financial wellness series for your community, contact our team.