Get Your Tax Returns Prepared at No Charge by Duke Law School
It's tax time, again.
Duke Law School is offering free tax preparation services to people who work at Duke, as well as residents of Durham.
The Law School's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, VITA, has been a staple at Duke for many years. Last year, the volunteer Duke Law students, staff and faculty members logged more than 2,000 hours and filed more than $300,000 in returns for more than 200 clients, many of whom work at Duke.
To be eligible for the service, clients must earn $35,000 or less.
The VITA volunteers do more than prepare the return. They help determine whether workers at Duke are eligible for credits such as child and earned income tax credits - refunds that are easy to overlook.
"Our goal is make sure people not only get their refunds, but they get the credits they deserve," said Chris McLaughlin, a 1996 graduate of Duke Law and Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs. "We also help them avoid $100 to $200 in tax preparation fees."
VITA volunteers receive two days of tax preparation training from the Internal Revenue Service and are qualified to prepare and file tax returns electronically, which allows taxpayers to receive their refunds in less than a week.
The volunteers will be at the Duke University Federal Credit Union, 1400 Morreene Road, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 3, 10 and 17 and April 7; E.K. Powe Elementary School, 913 Ninth Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 4; and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 725 Burch Avenue, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 26, March 19, March 26 and April 2.
Walk-ins are accepted, but clients with appointments receive priority
service. Contact the site to make an appointment. For more information, visit
the Duke Law
School Web Site or call the VITA Hotline, (919) 613-8526.
|
