Free income tax preparation help

Student volunteers and interns from Fitchburg State University will offer free volunteer income tax assistance (VITA) to qualified taxpayers from Feb. 1 through April 22.

Assistant Professor Richard DesRoches, CPA, a member of the Fitchburg State business administration faculty and advisor to the university’s Accounting Society, said more than 15 students have completed IRS tax training to offer their services preparing and reviewing returns.

“The student volunteers have worked very hard over the past three months preparing for their involvement in the VITA program. It’s a great opportunity for the university to offer a valuable service to the community and for the students to apply what they have learned. We look forward to a successful first year and beyond.”

–Assistant Professor Richard DesRoches

The Fitchburg State VITA site will be open by appointment only from 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Fridays in room B142 of the McKay Complex, 67 Rindge Road. Fitchburg State students will also be assisting at the VITA site at the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center, 18 Fairmount St., Fitchburg.

The VITA program generally offers free tax help to people who make $51,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in local communities. They can inform taxpayers about special tax credits for which they may qualify such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations.

“The student volunteers have worked very hard over the past three months preparing for their involvement in the VITA program,” DesRoches said. “It’s a great opportunity for the university to offer a valuable service to the community and for the students to apply what they have learned. We look forward to a successful first year and beyond.”

Appointments for the Fitchburg State site may be requested by phone or email. By phone, call (978) 665-3329 to leave your name and phone number and a volunteer will contact you within 48 hours. By email, send your name and phone number to taxwise@fitchburgstate.edu, and a volunteer will contact you within 48 hours.

Once scheduled, a volunteer will be in touch about what information to bring to the appointment. This includes:

Picture IDSocial Security cards for yourself and all other individuals on your return (spouse and all dependents)Your 2011 tax returns (federal and state) if availableAll income documents including W-2s, 1099s, and other tax documents including   Massachusetts Form 1099-HCDocumentation of higher education expenses including tuition paid and student loan interest paidDaycare expenses and the daycare provider's name, address and tax ID numberDocumentation to support itemized deductions if applicable. These items may include: Mortgage loan interest paidCharitable contributionsProperty (excise) taxes paid (home and auto)Medical expenses

In addition, you must complete the first three pages of Form 13614-C which can be retrieved at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13614c.pdf.

Visitors will also be provided with temporary parking passes for their consultations.

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