To help low-income families put more of their tax returns in their pockets, one Gainesville group is offering free help working through the paperwork this tax season.

"There are families who are working really, really hard to make ends meet who have paid exorbitant fees to tax preparers in the past," said Phillippa Lewis Moss, director of the Gainesville-Hall County Community Service Center, which is organizing the program. "What this opportunity gives them is the chance to utilize 100 percent of their tax return in a way that really puts their families in a better position."

The program, now in its third year, is run by volunteers. Last year, 20 volunteers helped prepare more than 150 tax returns for families who earn a gross annual income of $39,000 or less. This year, organizers are hoping to help closer to 200 families.

About 30 people attended the last volunteer training session, but Moss said not all of those individuals will follow through and become volunteers.

"I'm predicting that more people are going to be seeking free tax preparation (this year)," Moss said. "And I'm a little anxious that we're not going to have enough preparers."

Volunteers must attend a Saturday training workshop, which is approved by the Internal Revenue Service. They are given an at-home study guide and after taking a test, they are assigned to one of three positions: greeters who welcome families to the center, tax preparers who work through the paperwork with the family or quality control officers who check over the final submissions.

The next Saturday training class will be held Jan. 22.

The certification process isn't difficult, Moss said, but it does require a large commitment.

Carli Sanders of Gainesville, who volunteered with the program last year, said the training was worth it when she helped families find deductions they would have otherwise not known about.

"It was a lot of personal satisfaction to help people ... take more money home and put more money into their pocket," she said.

Moss said helping file tax returns is a good volunteer opportunity not only because it helps others, but also because it helps the volunteer build a new skill set. Those who pass the class become licensed tax preparers.

"For people starting off in the work force, this is a great resume builder," Moss said. "And for people who have been in the work force for quite some time, it's a great way to expand your skills on your resume."

Moss said the organization has received great feedback from the IRS on the quality of tax returns they've filed in past years.

Sanders said she was nervous at first about making mistakes while filing the forms. But she said it gave her peace of mind to know that someone was checking her work.

"In the tough economic times that we're in, it was great to be able to see a smile on someone's face when they got a much larger refund than they were expecting," Sanders said.