Anybody else doing VITA?

[grantmeaname]

Hey, is anybody else doing the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (or your country's equivalent)? This is the first year I've done it, or any 'skilled' volunteering where I do something more complicated than chop potatoes and swing hammers. I'm really enjoying it, and it's nice to know that I'm using my training to do something productive for society. How do you all like it?

For those of you not doing VITA: are any of you doing skilled volunteering? Engineers/Doctors Without Borders, pro bono consulting, or the like?

[arebelspy]

JLCollins has written about VITA before:
http://jlcollinsnh.com/2013/01/11/vita-income-taxes-and-the-irs/

[sheepstache]

I did it for two years.  Then I gave it up because the spring season has too many other opportunities that I didn't want to give up.

I enjoyed it quite a bit and I know what you mean about the distinction between skilled volunteer work and not.  It was nice to come in and have a definite purpose.  Unfortunately even though lots of people were very nice, there were a fair number who had a huge sense of entitlement, and that made me sort of jaded towards it.

[Joel]

I've done vita in the past, while in college earning my degree in accounting. My current employment does not allow me to volunteer or perform any external accounting work for that matter.

I've also helped with habitat for humanity in the last as well. That was more rewarding for me personally as vita felt too much like work.

[kkbmustang]

I have to agree with Joel. I only do tax related stuff if I'm earning money for it. My volunteer activities have been involved and numerous, but none involved doing taxes.

I served on the boards of a couple nonprofits, was a committee chair for my local bar association and went to Africa on a church mission trip.