There are a few places that offer free income tax preparation services in Michiana area
Please write a column that includes information about free income tax preparation services in this area.
— R.C., email
FREE is our favorite 4-letter word, coming in just ahead of PLAY and BALL which reminds us that Spring Training begins soon. But we digress.
The Vivian Harrington Gray Tax Assistance Program (TAP) kicked off its 52nd year of service to the community earlier this month. Coordinated by Notre Dame teaching professor Colleen Creighton, TAP provides free tax preparation services to U.S. citizens or residents whose family income is less than $60,000 and individual taxpayers whose income is less than $35,000.
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Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College students staff the sessions, which are available, by appointment only, until April 15 at the main branch of the St. Joseph County Public Library. Please call 574-282-4646 and get on the schedule for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays or for Saturday sessions, which include time slots from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Online registration is also available at sjcpl.org. On March 25, the library's Francis Branch, 52655 N. Ironwood, will host the 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. sessions because the main branch is scheduled for other events that day. Again, reserve a time slot via phone or online using the above information.
Room 340, Spes Unica Hall at Saint Mary's College is another venue where the TAP will prepare federal and Indiana state (only) tax returns with the guidance of professor Jeff McGowan. Call 574-284-4501 to schedule an appointment. The SMC location will provide help on Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.
The UND and SMC students all have had one income tax course. Their training includes meeting IRS standards to be a registered volunteer income tax assistance participant. Additionally, the student's technical training is supplemented with information focusing on ethics and the maintenance of the privacy and confidentiality of taxpayer information.
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Goodwill Industries provides free income tax preparation and filing services to households whose income is not more than $64,000. IRS-certified volunteers provide basic income tax return preparation information along with electronic filing at seven different locations. Call 574-800-1361 or go to goodwill-ni.org/events/, scroll to VITA Tax Prep and continue scrolling to Schedule Your Appointment Today.
Note: All of the programs described above abide by the IRS "out-of-scope" policy, which means they may not be able to prepare your tax returns in some situations.
The IRS Free File alternative provides access to seven tax preparation packages. Because each software offering has its own unique parameters, we suggest using the IRS Free File online lookup tool. Your specific information (e.g., age, marital status, income) will be gathered and an array of possible preparers recommended. Be cautious as you make your choice because some offerings may only include free filing of your federal income tax form.
Ken & Klee's Tax Notebook — On a very personal note, Joe Zavisca (a co-writer of this column in 2020-2021) passed away Jan. 28. Joe's wit, wisdom and "why-is-that?" stance will be missed. Rest in peace, J.Z.
The Internal Revenue Service quietly re-opened its South Bend office at 100 E. Wayne Street. The Monday through Friday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide effort is no longer operating in South Bend. The nearest locations are Elkhart and Goshen.
Rick Klee served as the tax director at the University of Notre Dame from 1998 through August 2019. A retired CPA, Klee is a graduate of Notre Dame. You can contact him at rklee@nd.edu.
Ken Milani is a professor of accountancy at Notre Dame where he served as the faculty coordinator of the Notre Dame Tax Assistance Program. Contact him at milani.1@nd.edu.
E-mail questions to either.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Tax Talk: Free income tax prep services offered in Michiana
