CTA is a nonprofit organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  CTA provides its services free, and its only source of funding is through private donations from individuals and corporate sponsors.

The centers are run by managers and assistant managers and are staffed with volunteers. Center managers, who review the volunteers’ work and provide technical assistance, are Boston-area accountants and lawyers from large and small firms and have a minimum of two years tax experience.  Our base of volunteers includes college students, professionals and other community volunteers who have attended a tax training seminar sponsored by Community Tax Aid.   The new volunteer seminar is offered in one class. Volunteers are instructed in both basic and intermediate tax concepts.  Technical subjects include the earned income credit, the taxability of pensions and retirement benefits, the difference between Massachusetts and federal income, and credits for the elderly and for child and dependent day care expenses. Federal and Massachusetts tax forms are reviewed, and instructors walk through hypothetical returns with the volunteers.