UW-Green Bay students to provide free tax assistance
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay students will again provide free income tax assistance for low-income individuals and families, the elderly, and students through the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
Tax return preparation begins the week of Feb. 14 and will run through Wednesday, April 6. However, no service will be provided the week of March 14, because of the University’s spring break, nor on Monday, Feb. 21, at the Harbor Credit Union due to the Presidents’ Holiday.
Scheduled times and Green Bay locations for tax assistance are:
• Mondays, 2 to 4 p.m., Harbor Credit Union, 800 Weise Street
• Tuesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Oneida Center for Self-Sufficiency, 2640 West Point Rd
• Wednesdays, 2 to 4 p.m., (General Computer Access Lab) IS 1129Q, UW-Green Bay campus
• Wednesdays, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Salvation Army, 626 Union Court
Appointments are necessary for the Harbor Credit Union (431-6688) and Salvation Army (465-2141) sites. The program is provided at no cost to taxpayers.
To assist volunteers, taxpayers should bring social security cards for each member of the family, last year’s federal and state tax returns, current year information including W-2 forms, interest and dividend statements, pension and social security statements, tuition payment statements, property tax receipts for taxes paid in the current year, information regarding other sources of income, rent certificates, copy of last year’s property tax bill, record of tax payments made last year, and a void check from a checking account or deposit slip from a savings account to allow for direct deposit of a refund.
“The program targets taxpayers entitled to claim the Wisconsin Homestead Credit as well as the federal and state earned income credit,” said Prof. James Loebl of the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business at UW-Green Bay. “To speed up the delivery of taxpayers’ refunds, both state and federal tax returns will be filed electronically.”
UW-Green Bay students have been providing the free income tax return service for nearly 35 years. The student coordinators for 2011 are Suzanne La Plante and Stephen Steffes, both senior accounting and business administration majors.
For more information, e-mail Prof. Loebel or visit the VITA website.
