College’s Free Tax Preparation Assistance Expands to Include Some Mondays

Students' Hands-On Learning Experience Surpassing Last Year's Record ReturnVolume Less Than a Month into Tax Season Less than a month into tax season, Wilmington College students have already prepared more than 35 percent of the tax returns they completed through mid-April last year. High demand for their free service is resulting in new afternoon hours on select Mondays. PICTURED: Wesley Pierson is pictured working on a return as part of last year's VITA program. The 12 IRS-certified, volunteer tax preparers are offering this service as part of the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA). Wilmington College is a VITA site that provides tax help to persons of low and moderate income who, generally, make less than $54,000, as well as taxpayers with disabilities or with limited English-speaking skills. The IRS awarded WC’s service, which provides students with hands-on learning opportunities, a perfect 100 percent rating. Supervisor Allen Beatty, assistant professor of accounting and IRS Enrolled Agent/site manager, said a number of senior citizens and others have indicated a desire for additional daylight hours so they do not have to drive at night. Normal hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday evenings, from 5 to 8 p.m., through April 12, and on Saturday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to noon. Sessions are held in WC’s Center for the Sciences and Agriculture, corner of College and Elm streets. The students provide basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. This service generally includes basic returns of wage earners (W-2) and retirees (1099-R and Social Security), who might also have such additional forms of income as interest, dividends (1099-INT, DIV) and unemployment (1099-G). Preparation of a limited amount of itemized returns (Schedule A with home mortgage, interest, charitable contributions, medical expenses, etc.) also is available, along with those featuring such popular credits as Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit, Retirement Savers Credit, etc. Also, this year, the students are able to work with taxpayers claiming capital gains and losses, and those with self-employment income. Those interested in Monday hours (from 1 to 3 p.m.) should contact Tara Karnes at (937) 763-9932 or tkarnes@wilmington.edu. She also is scheduling appointments during the regular hours.