ST. GEORGE — Since November, 19 people who live in St. George have been studying and taking tests so they can provide free income tax preparation for their neighbors.
This free income tax service is provided by Tax-Aide – sponsored by AARP and the Internal Revenue Service – and offers members of the community another option for free income tax preparation. Southern Utah volunteer preparers are up-to-date on the latest tax law changes made by Congress and states that affect 2017 returns.
Tax-Aide
Tax-Aide is a group of volunteers that are the nation’s largest free tax-assistance and preparation service.
Tax returns will be prepared and filed electronically in St. George, Hurricane, Washington City and Mesquite, Nevada, through April 17.
Tax preparation is for low- and middle-income individuals with special attention to elderly taxpayers filing federal and state tax returns. Although the focus is to provide free tax assistance to older adults, the services are offered to everyone. Volunteers are certified to assist people of all ages, working on a wide range of tax returns at many income levels.
Preparations of tax returns are available at the St. George Senior Center, 245 N. 200 West, on Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through April 17. Tax preparation rooms are upstairs, and children are not permitted in the St. George Senior Center.
In addition, the Hurricane Senior Center, 95 N. 300 West, will have trained and certified preparers on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. through April 11, and Washington City Library, 220 N. 300 East, will have preparers available on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. through April 16.
The Mesquite Senior Center also will provide a Tax-Aide preparation site. Call 702-346-5290 for availability.
Taxpayers who visit these sites should bring:
- Their wage and earning statements.
- (Form W-2) from all employers.
- Social Security benefits for 2017 as shown on the 1099-SSA that were sent in the mail plus bring all types of 1099 Forms.
- Stock transactions, shown in 1099-B, should also show original purchase prices of assets sold.
- A copy of last year’s 2016 tax return and any other relevant information about income, deductions and expenses.
Taxpayers will need to show a government photo ID and Social Security number identification for all individuals on their tax return.
The sites will provide free electronic filing, E-file, from computer prepared returns.
All Tax-Aide volunteers manning these sites have completed IRS and AARP training programs for advanced income tax preparation.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance – VITA
Dixie State University is offering free tax preparation services to those making $54,000 or less, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and those taxpayers speaking limited English.
Preparation of taxes will be provided by IRS-certified university students supervised by IRS and CPA certified faculty members.
Tax services are offered through April 11 in the Udvar-Hazy building on the DSU campus. Preparers will not be working the week of spring break, March 12-18. Preparers will be available from 4-8:30 p.m. and check-in starts at 3:30 p.m.
Although DSU accounting students are still learning about taxes, the VITA program is managed by professors that teach tax accounting. Volunteers include licensed CPAs and PhDs that review each filing that is prepared by student-volunteers during the course of each tax season.
Each year, Dixie State University’s VITA coordinators train, supervise and review the preparation of federal income taxes. Coordinators report details of their program to the Wage and Investment Division of the IRS and work to find solutions to any tax problems encountered during the season. Coordinators also keep their site volunteers informed about tax law changes and procedural updates.
Dixie’s VITA program consistently ranks among the top in the state for accuracy.
Free online tax preparation
MyFreeTaxes.com is a free online preparation service offered to taxpayers to prepare their own tax return. Household income must be less than $66,000.
For more information on where you can receive free tax assistance, go to the Utah Tax Help website.
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