CVTC, RCU Offering Free Tax Assistance
for those meeting certain requirements, free tax help is being offered this year
Make taxes less taxing with free income tax return assistance from Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers provided in partnership with Royal Credit Union (RCU), Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC), and VITA. VITA was created to provide free income tax return assistance to taxpayers who cannot afford to pay for professional help. Free assistance is provided to anyone with an adjusted gross annual income of $66,000 or less including disabled, non-English-speaking, senior citizens, and special needs taxpayers.
The service will be available at CVTC’s Business Education Center (620 W. Clairemont Avenue, Eau Claire) on Thursdays from 12-4pm starting Feb. 2 through April 13, except for March 23, when CVTC is closed for spring break. Appointments are required; absolutely no walk-ins. Appointments can be made online by going to www.rcu.org/VITA or by calling 800-341-9911 and dialing extension 6.
Participants must bring a photo ID, social security cards for taxpayers and dependents, earnings statements, a copy of their tax return from last year, forms 1095 (A, B or C) affordable health care statements, rent certificates from landlord or property statements, and bank or credit union’s routing and account numbers for direct deposit.
VITA offers free basic income tax return prep and e-filing. Taxpayers with complicated returns or questions will be referred to an IRS publication, to the IRS, or to private professional assistance. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis by the VITA volunteer, who are student volunteers from CVTC who have taken steps to become certified by the IRS and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.