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Mendo Lake Family Life

Don’t Face the IRS Alone

Tax forms can be intimidating and not everyone has the cash to hire an accountant. Enter the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) Program, a collaboration of North Coast Opportunity’s Volunteer Network and United Way of Wine Country. IRS-certified volunteers provide free federal and state income tax return preparation, with electronic filing, to individuals and families who earn $60,000 or less. VITA is particularly concerned with making sure that eligible families claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can reduce the amount of tax assessed and may also provide a wage supplemental. To schedule an appointment or find out more, call 467-3236 or go to ncoinc.org.

In addition to the VITA program, free tax help can be found at the Ukiah Senior Center in Ukiah. Volunteers will prepare taxes at the center on a first come, first-served basis on Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:30–11:30 a.m. Participants should bring last year’s return, a driver’s license or other photo identification, social security cards for all family members, and all forms reporting income, including W-2s, SSI, 1099 interest dividends, pension and IRA distributions, and 1095 health insurance forms. The service is available to low-to-moderate-income taxpayers, especially those 60 and older. For more information, go to ukiahseniorcenter.org