JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — ETSU will offer free tax help to the community starting later this month.

Volunteer business students, under the supervision of Dr. Freeman, an accountancy faculty member, will offer free tax preparation assistance this year through the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

The students will assist taxpayers whose total household income was $60,000 or less in 2022. People will need to make an appointment and no walks in will be accepted, a release from the university stated.

Individuals taking part in the program will need to arrive at their appointment 15 minutes early to fill out a questionnaire.

People are asked to bring the following to their appointment:

  • Proof of identification, such as a state or federal government-issued picture ID
  • Social Security cards for the taxpayer, spouse and any dependents on the tax return
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number assignment letter for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents if there is no Social Security number
  • Birth dates for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents on the tax return;
  • 2021 Income Tax Return (last year’s)
  • Wage and earning statement(s) from all employers, including any W-2, W-2G 1099-R or 1099-Misc. forms
  • Information regarding other income sources, if applicable
  • Information for all deductions/credits, if applicable
  • A record of any cash donations made during the year to churches or charitable organizations;
  • Any tax documents needed to prepare the tax return, such as 1099-G unemployment, 1095-A (marketplace insurance, if applicable) or tuition statements
  • Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
  • Forms 1095-A, B and C, Health Coverage Statements, if applicable
  • Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit, such as a blank check
  • Total amounts paid to daycare provider(s) and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number (the provider’s Social Security Number or business Employer Identification Number), if appropriate
  • Copies of 1099-T for tuition and fees paid by the taxpayer, spouse and any dependents if applicable

Services will be offered on Feb. 18 and 25 and March 4 from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sam Wilson Hall, room 130 on ETSU’s main campus.

To make an appointment, contact Valerie Swartz at (423) 439-4432, swartz@etsu.edu.  For questions, contact Freeman at freemanms@etsu.edu, and for disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.