Drury accounting students provide free income tax preparation assistance (Feb. 1, 2022)

Drury accounting students provide free income tax preparation assistance

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo., February 1, 2022 — Drury University students again will provide free tax preparation through an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site. The annual tax preparation service is open to the public and is designed to benefit low-income taxpayers.

Services will be offered in the Breech School of Business Administration, on the northeast corner of Central Street and Drury Lane. In order to help avoid the spread of COVID-19 all taxpayers will be required to wear a mask while in the building. The public is asked to enter the building through the doors at the south end of the building, the left-hand side when facing the front of the building.

When arriving, taxpayers should keep the following details in mind: 

• Taxpayers will not be allowed to congregate in the building prior to the opening of the drop-off clinic or while waiting to be served.
• Assistance will be provided on a walk-in basis.
• After arriving, taxpayers will be asked to add their name to a waiting list, then return to their car, or another location, until called.
• Taxpayers are also asked to bring a cellphone so Drury may contact them when it is their turn for assistance.
• To limit contact, Drury asks that only the taxpayer and spouses be present to drop-off forms. Children and other parties will not be allowed to accompany the taxpayer unless such accompaniment is necessary to assist the taxpayer.
• Taxpayers are required to bring photo ID and Social Security cards for themselves and dependents, as well as any tax documentation which they have received, including all W-2 forms, 1099 forms and statements issued by brokerage firms. Taxpayers are also asked to bring a copy of their 2019 state and federal tax returns to help speed up the filing process.

The clinics will be held at the following times:

Monday, Feb. 7         4-7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 14        4-7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 21        4-7 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 28        4-7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 12       9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Please note the clinic operates only inside of posted hours. Drury faculty, staff and students will not be available to assist you at other times. Only faculty and students who are part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program may assist taxpayers. Regular faculty, staff and students will not be able to assist the public with taxes or tax-related information. 

All returns will be filed electronically unless the IRS requires a manual return. All taxpayers must be available to sign the appropriate forms in the case of joint returns. Tax returns will not be transmitted until after the taxpayer returns to collect the completed return and sign required permission forms.

Due to limitations set by the federal government, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs are unable to help taxpayers who have declared bankruptcy or incurred insolvency during the tax year, have rental property, have a self-owned business with inventory, depreciable property, or which had an overall loss for the year and certain situations in which a taxpayer has received a forgiveness of debt.

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