VITA Information for UCI Students

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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

Free Help with Your Taxes!

Did you know that you may qualify for free tax assistance at several Orange County locations? The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) has IRS-trained volunteers in our community who can prepare basic personal income tax returns free of charge. VITA is intended to assist taxpayers with low to moderate incomes, limited English skills, or disabilities. Many VITA sites offer electronic preparation and transmission of returns.

Search for VITA Sites in California

You can use the California Franchise Tax Board's search engine to find a convenient VITA site in your ZIP code, city, or county. If you want to see all VITA sites available in California, sorted by county, download the current list (PDF). Be sure to contact the site before visiting to confirm the hours and location.

Come Prepared

The IRS advises coming prepared for your consultation, by bringing the following materials:

must bring photo identification
Social Security Cards for the taxpayer, spouse and dependents (if applicable)
birth dates for primary, secondary and dependents on the tax return
current year’s tax package (if received)
wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
a copy of last year’s Federal and State returns (if available)
bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit
other relevant information about income and expenses, such as the total amount paid for day care and the day care provider's tax ID number
To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

If you received a 1098-T (Tuition Payments Statement) and/or a 1098-E (Student Loan Interest Statement), you may wish to bring those forms as well. UCI students who have not received forms issued to them may download copies from the following web sites:

for a 1098-T ...	use the Tax Credit Reporting Service (TCRS)
for a 1098-E for a campus-based student loan ...	use ACS Borrower Services
for a 1098-E for a Direct Loan ...	use Direct Loan Servicing Online

The information provided in this web page is NOT tax advice. It is offered only as general information for UCI students and their families. Please consult a qualified tax expert for advice on computing, claiming, or determining qualification for any tax benefit mentioned in this web site.

Further information is available from:

Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040
¤ VITA and TCE
¤ Publication 730: Important Tax Records Envelope (VITA/TCE)
¤ Tax Topic 101: IRS Services -- Volunteer Tax Assistance...

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