Jonathan Garcia
jgarcia@foghornnews.com
The Del Mar College Accounting Department is offering free services for anyone needing help filing a tax return.
The service is offered through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and is free of any filing fees.
“A tax return done at H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt might run close to $100; our cost is zero,” volunteer Juanita Blankenship said.
Blankenship and other volunteers help people with filing their taxes.
“Our students also advise them to give them ways to save, and how to get a refund because some of them don’t understand why they owe and things like that so we explain it to them,” Blankenship said.
The department offers help for anyone whose adjusted gross income is less than $60,000 and can work with forms including 1040EZ, 1040a, 1040s but not business, international or military forms.
Once the taxes are prepared, a site coordinator will do a quality review going over the preparer’s return, and once done it is printed and given to the client. Later that evening it will be submitted again for review before e-filing to make sure everything is in order.
These services have been offered for 15 years on campus and have seen a strong turnout.
“Last year we did over 800 and were the No. 1 VITA site in the area,” Blankenship said.
If you’re looking to get your taxes done, head to Room 201 or 206 in the Venters Building on East Campus from 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Be sure to bring your driver’s license or legal Texas identification card, social security number, birthdates of your dependents and W-2 forms.
