By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
The free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance service [VITA] which has been provided by the UW-W College of Business and Economics is back after a one year break, according to Lecturer Victoria Torino, who is running the program this year. Full details, including the items that must be brought to an appointment, may be found here. Note that the service is only available by appointment – see above contact information.
Those who don’t qualify for the VITA service or are not available during its hours may want to investigate the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, which provides tax assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income. You don’t need to be an AARP member to use the service. The closest location is in Elkhorn. Due to renovations at the library, the service is being provided this year at the Elkhorn Chamber of Commerce, 203 E. Walworth Street. Appointments are required and may be made on Mondays and Tuesdays between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Call the Elkhorn library at 262-723-2678 to make an appointment. This site provides further information as well as the opportunity to prepare one’s own taxes online with the assistance of a volunteer. The AARP service is also being provided on Fridays in Delavan at City Hall, 123 S. Second Street. Appointments may be made for that location also through the Elkhorn library. The last week for appointments at both locations is the week of April 6.
This site provides a list of documents that should be brought to an appointment.
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Do-It-Yourself
The federal Direct File program that was introduced in Wisconsin last year has been discontinued. Taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $89,000 or less may use a program called Free File, for which information is available here. The Wisconsin state return may be filed online through WisTax, which is found here.
In addition to Free File and WisTax, Wisconsinites have other options for filing their taxes, including:
Tax Filing Software: Numerous software options are available, ranging from basic to advanced, offering varying levels of guidance and support.
Tax Preparer: Enlisting the help of a qualified tax professional can be beneficial for those with complex tax situations or who prefer personalized assistance.
DOR’s Where’s My Refund tool is the quickest way for Wisconsinites to check their refund status, as it gives taxpayers instant access to the same information call center agents provide.
Individual tax filers are encouraged to visit the DOR website’s “Individuals” page, where they can find answers to common questions, forms and instructions, tax credit information, payment options, and instructional videos.
