Two Quinnipiac students assist a local resident with tax preparation.

IRS-certified student volunteers will offer free tax preparation assistance to qualified individuals on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., starting Feb. 11, in the Lender School of Business Center, Rooms 112 and 114.

The students from the School of Business will offer free tax preparation assistance to people who generally earn less than $50,000 annually. The students will inform taxpayers about special tax credits for which they qualify including Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled.

Individuals seeking assistance with their taxes should bring:

• Proof of identification - Photo ID
• Social Security Cards for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration or
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents
• Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN
• Birth dates for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents on the tax return
• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• A copy of last year's federal and state returns if available
• Proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check
• Total amount paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number) if appropriate
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

The students involved in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) Program use TAXWISE, the IRS-approved software package for the VITA program for state and federal returns.

The tax assistance will be offered each Saturday through April 15 with the exception of March 10 and 17 when the University will be closed for spring break. For more information, please call Nelson Alino, assistant professor of accounting, at 203-582-3827 or e-mail him at nelson.alino@quinnipiac.edu.