February 10, 2003

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, run by volunteer accounting students in the School of Business, will provide free income tax return preparation assistance to low-income members of the University community and to other low-income local residents.

The student volunteers are trained to prepare simple federal and Connecticut state income tax returns. Individuals with gross income under $20,000 or married couples with combined gross income less than $40,000 qualify for the service, but those who are self-employed or have securities or IRAs do not qualify. No forms containing business income or capital gains can be prepared. The volunteers can only help with Connecticut and federal forms; no other state returns will be prepared.

The volunteers also will prepare returns for international students (Form 1040NR), who can get information on the SBA website. International students are invited to attend a tax workshop, the 14th Annual International Tax Workshop, sponsored by the Department of International Services and Programs, on Feb. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Dodd Center. A tax preparation session for international students, staffed by student volunteers, follows at 1 p.m. in the School of Business Building.

The confidential sessions are offered in the School of Business at the Storrs campus, on the following dates:

Friday, Feb. 14, 1-3:30 p.m. (international student returns only)

Thursdays, March 6, March 13, March 27, April 3, 6-8 p.m. (all returns)

Wednesday, April 9, 6-8 p.m. (all returns)

Sign-up is in Room 122, School of Business Building, on the dates listed, on a first-come, first-served basis. Returns will be prepared in Room 106, in numerical order.

Assistance will be provided only during the preparation sessions. Please do not contact the accounting department for personal tax help.

To receive assistance from a VITA volunteer, taxpayers should bring the following: a copy of the 2001 tax return that was filed by the taxpayer (if one was filed) and all documentation for the 2002 tax return, including W2 forms and 1099 forms.

International students should bring passport, visa, and completed questionnaire in PDF format: (see the online questionnaire ).