VITA available for tax assistance

About 40 UW–Madison students are taking part in a program that provides low income, elderly and disabled Madison residents with free state and federal income tax help.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is open through April 15 at the Villager Center, 2300 S. Park St. It is a partnership among the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the Internal Revenue Service, UW–Madison and UW-Extension Dane County.

Trained community volunteers are prepared to help taxpayers with tax credits and will assist with electronic filing.

In 2004, more than 3,800 returns were filed through the service, says Michael Gutter, assistant professor of consumer science and director of the Certified Financial Planner program. Gutter says last year’s service saved VITA users more than $800,000 in tax preparation and e-filing fees.

For a shorter wait, VITA participants must bring all pertinent tax information, including, but not limited to: W-2 wage statements, information on other sources of income, Social Security cards, birth date information, interest and dividend statements, bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit and tuition payment statements.

VITA will be open from 1-6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call (877) 227-7669 or (800) 829-1040, or visit the Web site at http://www.dor.state.wi.us/faqs/pcs/vita.html.