Americana Community Center offers free tax preparation to qualifying individuals and families through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in conjunction with the Louisville Asset Building Coalition and the IRS.
VITA tax assistance for 2012 begins on Saturday, January 21. VITA hours at ACC will be:
You qualify for FREE federal and state tax filing if you earned $50,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or less in 2011 or if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
VITA is a critical service for low-income families, who must often use paid preparation services that charge high fees and may not be as familiar with tax-related programs designed to assist low-income families. Certified VITA volunteers assist taxpayers with filing returns free of charge at designated VITA sites and make sure they get the tax benefits they are eligible for. This is a great service for our neighborhood that assists U.S.-born families and individuals and those new to Louisville. Navigating the tax system can be challenging for anyone and the VITA program aims to help the taxpayer increase their financial literacy and develop financial resources.
During the previous tax season, 228 people were served at Americana’s VITA site, generating a total of $480,340 in tax refunds, including $174,893 of Earned Income Credit.
Check our News & Updates page for information regarding the current year’s VITA program.
Information for those using VITA:
What you need to bring to Americana to have your taxes prepared:
- Proof of Identification: must be current, have a photo and include date of birth. Driver’s License, State ID, Student ID, Prison ID, Passport, or other Government issued ID will do.
- Proof of Social Security number for you, your spouse, and dependents. Acceptable forms are Social Security Card, Medicare Card (red, white & blue card, Passport Insurance card, print out from Social Security Office)
- Birth dates for you, your spouse, and dependents on the tax return
- Wage and earning statements: Form W-2, W-2g, 1099
- Interest and dividend statements from banks (Form 1099)
- A copy of last year’s Federal and State returns, if available
- Bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit (a personal check will have this)
- Total paid for day care provider and the day care provider’s tax identification number (the provider’s Social Security number or the provider’s business Employer Identification Number)
- To file taxes electronically for those who are married and filing a joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.
