Get your taxes done — free
Mariah Yates, posted Feb. 20, 2007
University of Missouri Extension, the MU Department of Personal Financial Planning and Central Missouri Community Action have teamed up to provide students with the right tools for getting their state and federal income taxes filed at no cost.
Any person or family whose income is less than $40,000 qualifies to have their taxes prepared free by certified IRS volunteers. Services will be available until April 14, 2007, except during Spring Break, March 24 through April 1.
“It’s a great service and we can do just about any tax services,” said Andrew Zumwalt, director of the Missouri Taxpayer Education Initiative. Zumwalt explained that student volunteers prepared taxes for 880 students and families in 2005.
Three convenient locations have been selected to make the services accessible to all. Students may prefer to take their documents to the campus location at 61 Stanley Hall. This location is open from 4:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Other participants may want to use services at the Bank of America, 3610 Buttonwood Drive. This location is open from 4:30 to 8 p.m. on Mondays during February. Central Missouri Community Action also hosts services at 400 Wilkes Blvd. where tax preparers will be available from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, or at 1500 Vandiver Drive from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Fridays. No appointments are necessary to use this service.
Remember to bring photo identification and social security cards for yourself, spouse and dependents. Have on hand W-2 forms for every job you and your spouse worked in 2006. If you would like to have your state and federal taxes direct-deposited, bring a voided check from your checking account.
Other paperwork to consider would be the 1099G for unemployment compensation, total childcare expenses and information on the provider, and paid student loan interest or the 1098 for tuition paid in 2006.
MU students participating in a personal financial planning course will be available to assist individuals in completing their tax documents. “We have to log 44 hours of work for the course requirement,” said Ryan Maksimovich, personal finance major and course participant. Maksimovich expects to help 20 to 25 people per week. His advice on getting your taxes prepared is “to make sure you have all the forms you will need.”
