Free tax, IRS credit help at Valencia Saturdays through April

  • Valencia College accounting students and professors will offer free tax preparation help on Saturdays at the Osceola County campus through the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
    Valencia College accounting students and professors will offer free tax preparation help on Saturdays at the Osceola County campus through the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Just in time for filing 2021 tax forms ahead of this year’s April 18 deadline, Valencia College accounting students and professors will offer free tax preparation help on Saturdays at the Osceola County campus through the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The volunteer tax preparers will be e-filing electronic returns for free on select Saturdays in February, March and April. This help is available to the general public, not just Valencia students, but preference will be given to senior citizens, the disabled and low-income individuals. The sessions will be held at the Denn John Lane campus each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through April 2 except March 12 (Spring Break week). The sessions will take place in building 3, room 100. Valencia asks attendees to wear a mask.

Those planning to use this service are asked to bring any of these forms they have received:

  • All W-2, W-2G and Social Security forms;
  • 1099s, 1099R, interest and dividend statements Documentation to show other
  • Documentation to show other earned income; Total day-care costs and day
  • Total day-care costs and daycare provider’s tax ID number;
  • IRS Letter 6419, which went to taxpayers who received the advance child tax credit;
  • IRS Letter 6475, which was mailed to taxpayers who received a third stimulus payment;
  • Copy of last year’s return, if available;
  • Social Security cards for the filer, their spouse and any dependents being claimed;
  • Driver’s license or other government-issued ID;
  • A voided check, or account and routing numbers, in order for direct deposit of refund.

Heart of Florida United Way is encouraging those who may qualify — in most cases, low-income residents — to file for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), or the Child Tax Credit (CTC), which the IRS expanded due to the pandemic in 2020, when filing at the Valencia site. The IRS reports that there are millions of households whose children had not been claimed on a recent tax return or do not appear on recent tax records and who may still be eligible to claim the expanded credits. At Valencia, families will be given free assistance in claiming these credits, if qualified, along with filing taxes.