For 33 years, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at St. Thomas University has helped community residents secure tax refunds. VITA is the oldest pro bono program at St. Thomas University School of Law. Founded by St. Thomas Law Professor Mark J. Wolff, the program has secured taxpayers in excess of $10,000,000 in refunds; student, faculty, and staff pro bono hours have exceeded 40,000.
Last year, St. Thomas Law’s VITA program assisted hundreds of taxpayers. St. Thomas Law School students and other volunteers will spend each Saturday until the end of tax season providing this important free service to the most needy and vulnerable members of our surrounding communities.
IRS Certified Volunteers are available at St. Thomas University every Saturday through April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., to prepare federal income tax returns, free of charge for individuals and families with a yearly income of $54,000 or less.
For more information, visit www.stu.edu/VITA, call 305-474-2415, or email is at vita@stu.edu.
Can’t Make it on Saturdays?
No worries, STU’s Tax Clinic is now offering “Open Intake Thursdays,” a faster tax preparation experience, every Thursday through April 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All you have to do is bring the required documents (see below), fill out a form, and the clinic volunteers do the rest! And there’s no need to wait around as they crunch numbers, they’ll schedule a later date for you to come in and review/file your returns.
STU’s Tax Clinic is located on the second floor of the Law School, Suite 205.
Items to bring to STU’s Tax Clinic’s Open Intake Thursdays & VITA Saturdays:
- Government issued identification for you and your spouse (to prepare and file your taxes on a married-filing-joint return, both spouses must be present; for a married-filing-separate return the name of your spouse with social security number is required).
- Original Social Security Cards for you, your spouse, and dependents. An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for you, your spouse and your dependents if you do not have a Social Security number.
- Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents being listed on the tax return.
- Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099s, from all employers, and/or Social Security benefits statement.
- All Forms 1095-A, B or C, Affordable Health Care Statements or Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if applicable.
- Interest, brokerage, and dividend statement(s) (Form 1099s).
- Form 1098-T Tuition Statement form an eligible education institution, such as a college or university or Form 1098-E Student Loan Interest Statement.
- Any and all expenses (including business) must be accompanied by a receipt. Expenses must be organized and itemized.
- Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider’s tax identification number (provider’s Social Security number or the provider’s business Employer Identification Number.
- Any other forms or documents necessary to complete your income tax return.
- Proof of bank account routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check.
- A copy of last year’s federal and state returns or copies of income transcripts from IRS, if applicable.
