Free tax assistance available Monday

Persons needing help in electronically filing a tax return this year can receive free assistance at several sites around Kansas beginning Monday, Jan. 31.

One of the largest sites will be in Topeka at the Docking State Office Building, 915 S.W. Harrison, Room 158.

The program there is a partnership between the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) in which IRS trained and certified volunteers will be available to help complete electronically filed federal and state individual income tax returns and limited Kansas Homestead Claims and Property Tax Relief Claims. The program offers tax help to low- and moderate-income people, generally earning $49,000 or less, who cannot prepare their own tax returns.

The volunteer tax preparers also can help with special credits such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled.

Persons seeking volunteer help should bring all necessary documentation to their meeting, which are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Such essential documentation includes:

A copy of last year’s federal and state return, if one was filed.
Photo identification
Birth dates and social security cards for the taxpayer, spouse and any children in the household born before Dec. 31, 2010
Wage and earning statements such as W-2 forms from all employers; W-2G forms reporting gambling income; 1099-R forms from pension, annuity, retirement or profit-sharing plans, IRAs, and insurance contract distributions; 1099-INT forms reporting interest and dividend statements from banks; unemployment insurance benefit statements received any time in 2010 (form 1099-G), and all other 1098 and 1099 forms
Statements received from a mortgage company during 2010
College expense information for college students
Other relevant information about income and expenses such as total amount paid for day care (including the day care provider’s federal identifying number) and any IRS notices sent to the taxpayer in 2010.
Workers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINS) should bring the ITIN card sent to them by the IRS.

Both spouses must be present to sign the required forms if filing jointly. Bank routing numbers and account numbers must be provided to have the refund deposited directly into a checking or savings account.

The Docking site will be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday through the April 18 filing deadline.

The department’s year-round Taxpayer Assistance Center is located in room 150 of the Docking building. It also offers Kansas income tax return and homestead claim assistance and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

AARP Kansas also offers Tax-Aide help to people 60 and older through the IRS-sponsored Tax Counseling for the Elderly program at additional sites throughout Kansas.

No appointment is required at either location, and assistance is provided on first-come, first-served basis.

To locate the nearest VITA site, call 1-800-906-9887. A list of AARP Kansas Tax-Aide sites is available by calling 1-888-227-7669. Additional information is available by calling the Kansas Department of Revenue, (785) 368-8222.

Free tax assistance available Monday

Volunteers to assist low, moderate-income taxpayers