February 17, 2004

Tax Return Assistance Available
For Low-Income Taxpayers

The University's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program will prepare simple federal and Connecticut state income tax returns free of charge for low-income U.S. residents and nonresident aliens. Help is available both to members of the University community and to the public.

Beginning March 23, the sessions are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 106, School of Business, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., until April 8. Sign up is in Room 122 before the session starts. The program is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Individuals with a gross income under $20,000 a year or married couples with a combined income under $40,000 are qualified to receive help from the program. Those who are self-employed, or who have securities or IRAs, may not participate; no forms containing business income or capital gains can be prepared. The volunteers can only help with Connecticut and federal tax returns; no other state forms will be prepared.

Returns may also be prepared for international students using form 1040R. Tax information for international students is available at: www.business.uconn.edu/accounting/international.

The Storrs campus VITA program is staffed by volunteer accounting students, who are trained by UConn accounting faculty using IRS materials.

During tax filing season, the Law School's Tax Clinic partners with Take Your Money Connecticut (TYMct), to help low-income working families. During February and March, free tax return preparation is offered at a number of VITA sites. For information about the sites' hours and dates of operation, go to Free Tax Preparation Information for 2003 at the website: www.TYMct.org.