ST. GEORGE — Students in Dixie State University’s four-year accounting program, in association with the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, will again provide free personal tax assistance to the community during the 2015 tax preparation season.

Feb. 3-March 5

The program will be held in the Udvar-Hazy Business Building on the DSU campus every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4:30-7:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 3 and continuing through March 5.

March 17-April 14

Following DSU’s Spring Break, the program will continue its service on Tuesdays only from 4:30-7:30 p.m. from March 17 through April 14.

First-come, first-served

Due to the popularity of the program, the public is invited to check-in at the Udvar-Hazy Building main desk (east entrance) on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis before each service day’s session at 4 p.m.

DSU will provide free ASL interpreters for the hearing impaired. For more information on the ASL service, please telephone the DSU Disability Resource Center at 435-652-7880.

The free tax preparation program, which is also sponsored by the Five County Association of Governments, is designed to assist low- and middle-income people of all ages with a wide range of tax-return scenarios.

Preparers are certified

Tax preparation services will be provided by Dixie State accounting students who have completed basic, intermediate and advanced IRS certification programs. Dixie State Accounting faculty, who are CPAs and also IRS certified, will supervise all tax preparation activities. The service also allows DSU accounting students to gain practical experience as they prepare to graduate and enter the professional workforce.

During the 2014 tax season, DSU students provided more than 4,600 hours of community service, during which they assisted clients with 1,455 federal and 1,462 state tax returns to facilitate over $3.2 million in tax-related refunds back to the community. In addition, the DSU Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program achieved the lowest IRS rejection rate in the entire Southern Utah Coalition.

What participating taxpayers should bring with them

• Social security cards for each individual appearing on their tax returns (photocopies are acceptable)
• Photo identification (self and spouse if joint filing)
• Wage and earning statements (Form W-2) from all employers
• SSA-1099, showing Social Security benefits
• All types of 1099 forms and supporting documentation if needed
• Form 1098 documenting their mortgage interest, mortgage insurance payments, and property tax payments
• Documents verifying medical expenses, charitable contributions, and child care payments
• Copy of 2014 tax return

Taxpayers desiring an automatic deposit of their federal and state tax refunds should also bring their bank account and bank routing numbers, both of which can be found on a check from their checkbooks. Taxpayers’ completed federal and state returns will be e-filed, free of charge, to the IRS and the applicable states.

Event details and resources

• What:  Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program | Free tax preparation by DSU accounting students
• When: Feb. 3 – March 5
• Where: DSU Udvar-Hazy Business Building, 225 South 700 East, St. George, Utah
• For more information and forms, please visit Dixie VITA Tax website or email [email protected].

Related posts

• IRS warns of dishonest tax preparers
• IRS warns about tax-related ID theft, phone scams
• IRS tax season opens Jan. 20

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