The Advance

Issue date: 2/16/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Amanda Brady Catholic Charities, located at 425 W. Iron, provides this service every Saturday between the hours of 9 am and Noon and again from 1 - 4 pm.

Media Credit: Amanda Brady University United Methodist Church has free tax service available on Tuesdays from 6 - 8 pm and again on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 - 4 pm.

It is tax season again. For most, that means paying a tax professional to file your returns. What many people do not know is that they are missing out on free professional tax service right here in Salina.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) provides free tax preparation for taxpayers with a 2007 yearly income of $40,000 or less, and a promise of the return being in your bank account in as little as 10 days. This service is provided during the peak tax preparation months, Feb. 5 to Apr. 15 at three separate locations, four days a week.

Catholic Charities, at 425 W. Iron, provides this service every Saturday between the hours of 9 a.m. and Noon and again from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Senior Center, 245 North 9th, provides this service on Wednesdays
and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Finally, a little closer to campus, tax service at University United Methodist Church, 1509 South Santa Fe, is available on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and again on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Before you make your way to one of these sessions, however, there is a list of items you may need to bring besides your W-2. They include two forms of identification, social security or ITIN card for ALL family members of household, savings or checking account number for electronic deposit of refund, copy of 2006 Tax return (if you filed one), all W-2 forms for 2007, any notices sent to you by the IRS in 2007, statement of unemployment insurance received in 2007 (1099-G form), statements of interest or dividends earned (1099 INT and 1099 DIV forms), all other 1098/1099 forms and all docs that say "Important Tax Information," and any statements from a mortgage company.

Also, if you plan on filing for the Kansas homestead tax refund, you will need to bring rent receipts or property tax statements and proof of all taxable and nontaxable income (food stamps, personal loans, child support, disability payments).

For more information, contact The Volunteer Connection, 785-823-3128 or K-State Research & Extension-Saline County, 785-309-5850.
For individuals who prefer to file their taxes online, the Internal Revenue Service Web site (irs.gov), in connection with the Free File Alliance LLC, provides Free File, a federal income tax preparation and electronic filing program for taxpayers with a 2007 yearly income of $54,000 or less.

Eligible taxpayers prepare and file their tax returns using online software provided by the Free File Alliance companies - not the IRS. As a result, be sure to check the requirements for each company offer as some may be limited to specific states or require other criteria to be met.

In addition to filing your federal taxes for free, some of the Free File Alliance LLC companies also provide Free State income tax return preparation and e-filing. Others charge a nominal fee to file state returns.

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