Worcester State University Offers Free Tax Preparation

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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

GoLocalWorcester Business Team

Preparing your taxes can be a labor-intensive task and quite complicated. Worcester State University is helping to ease the burden for area residents.  Professor Michael Shamgochian, coordinates the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, said, "Our program is designed to help community taxpayers collect all the tax credits they're entitled to - especially the Earned Income Credit, which could be as much as $5,751 for a family with three children. Many people find it difficult to fill out the required tax forms to claim these credits, and expensive to hire someone, so our program fills an important need in the community."

Worcester State University students, alumni and volunteers are once again offering free, confidential tax preparation to taxpayers with incomes of $50,000 and under. Professor Michael Shamgochian said since 2004, WSU has prepared over 2,000 federal tax returns and helped Worcester residents collect over $2.2 million in federal tax refunds.  All volunteers are certified by the IRS. Professor Shamgochian said, "We have an impressive class of business and accounting students from WSU and Holy Cross who completed their IRS certifications in record time and are ready to serve. Every return is 100% confidential and quality reviewed. We're delighted to continue this collaboration with IRS, the City of Worcester, Worcester Community Action Council, and others which together make up the Worcester Earned Income Credit Coalition, and seek to make sure as many people as possible get the credits they're entitled to."

 

Tax preparation services will be offered from February 1 through April 14 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Sullivan Academic Center Room 206. February 1 - April 14
. 
Interested taxpayers should bring the following items with them: 
 
• All tax forms (Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, etc.)
• Form 1099-HC for private health insurance plans;
• Health card for MassHealth or Medicare 
• Social security cards and birth dates for yourself, spouse and dependents
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available
• Voided check, or bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit of refund
• Total paid for rent or real estate tax in 2011
• Total paid for daycare in 2011 and the daycare provider's tax ID
• Any other information relevant to 2011 tax returns. 

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