UIW offers free tax help through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program

UIW is one of more than a dozen VITA sites in San Antonio

File: Tax preparation

SAN ANTONIO – The H-E-B School of Business and Administration at the University of the Incarnate Word is offering free tax preparation service through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program or VITA.

IRS-certified volunteers can help families making $64,000 or less take full advantage of all of the tax credits that they are eligible for, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and education credits.

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The tax preparation help is limited to the basic tax return for 2023 and will be conducted every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through April 13, 2024. The UIW VITA Clinic is located in the Joyce Building on the UIW-Broadway Campus.

Anyone interested in tax preparation help must make an appointment by emailing vita@uiwtx.edu.

“Our VITA site is open to UIW community members as well as the larger external community. It is staffed with volunteers who see the value of providing this needed tax return preparation service to the community,” said Dr. April Poe, UIW associate professor of Accounting in a press release. “Every year we have returning volunteers who complete the training and assist taxpayers Saturday after Saturday during the filing season. Most of our volunteers are students and they get to see the direct impact of their tax help as they meet with grateful taxpayers. In addition, UIW actively supports this outreach by providing us with space to offer the tax preparation services.”

UIW is one of more than a dozen VITA sites in San Antonio.

A list of other VITA sites:

  • Bazan Library
  • Claude Black Community Center
  • Guadalupe Community Center
  • Igo Library
  • Henry Guerra Library
  • Palo Alto College
  • Presa Community Center
  • St. Mary’s University
  • St. Philip’s College
  • The Neighborhood Place
  • Thousand Oaks Library
  • Willie C. Velasquez Center
  • Hill Country Community Needs Council- Fredericksburg

For hours of operation and information on documents needed, click here.

People are asked to bring the necessary documents to their tax preparation appointments.

End-of-year documents including:

  • Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit Payments, to reconcile advance Child Tax Credit payments
  • Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment, to determine eligibility to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit
  • Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, to reconcile advance Premium Tax Credits for Marketplace coverage

Identification:

  • Proof of Identification—Drivers License, Government-issued Photo I.D.
  • Social Security Card or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) for you, your spouse and dependents you will claim
  • Birth dates for you, your spouse and and dependents you will claim
  • Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit
  • To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, BOTH spouses must be present to sign the required forms
  • Last year’s tax return, if you have it, can really help

Income:

  • The dates and amounts of any stimulus checks received.
  • Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2 from all employers
  • Annuity or retirement: 1099-R
  • Social Security Statement: 1099-SSA
  • Gambling winnings: W2-G
  • Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099-INT and 1099-DIV)

Expenses:

  • Mortgage interest: 1098
  • Real estate taxes paid (statement or receipt)
  • Child care expenses: provider receipt showing provider Identification Number
  • Medical Expenses: detailed receipts
  • Charitable contributions
  • Education: Form 1098-T Tuition Statement; must have the school EIN
  • Student Loan Interest: 1098-E

About the Author

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

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