W&L Law Students to Assist Area Residents with Tax Preparation

By Peter Jetton
February 9, 2012

Students from Washington and Lee University School of Law will be offering free tax preparation assistance for low-to-moderate-income taxpayers in the Rockbridge County area.  These services are free to members of the local community earning up to $50,000 annually.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) office will be open on Monday evenings beginning February 13 through April 2 from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. in Room 2010, Wilson Hall at the Lenfest Center of Performing Arts, located on the corner of Nelson and McLaughlin Streets.  No appointment is necessary.

The office will be closed Monday, March 5th while students are away on break.

The VITA program requires students to undergo extensive training and certification testing before they are eligible to help prepare tax returns.  As a result of this training, law students can help local residents complete their tax forms and claim valuable tax credits.

To take advantage of VITA’s services, taxpayers must bring the following documents to their tax preparation session:

• photo identification
• social security cards and birth dates for taxpayers and dependents
• information for all deductions/credits
• all tax forms received from employers, banks, etc., including Forms W-2 and 1099
• total paid for day care services and day care provider’s tax identification number
• any other relevant information about income and expenses
• bank routing numbers and account numbers if direct deposit of refund is desired

For more information about the VITA program, or for directions to the Lenfest Center, contact Vera Mencer at 458-8570.