Aurora University To Offer Free Tax Help Saturday

AURORA, Ill.-The first of six free tax-preparation sessions by Aurora University is Saturday, Feb. 16, from 8 to 11 a.m. in Dunham Hall lobby, 1400 Marseillaise Place in Aurora.

AU's Dunham School of Business will provide free help for the public in preparing tax returns through the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. A Social Security identification number is required.

The sixth annual service continues from 8 to 11 a.m. on Feb. 23, Mar. 1, 15, and 29; and April 5.

Thirty-five business students and professors will help in preparing state and federal tax returns for persons earning up to $50,000. Elderly, disabled, and non-English-speaking taxpayers are invited. Bilingual students will provide translation for persons who speak Spanish, Russian, Italian and Albanian.

Electronic filing will be provided for taxpayers that qualify. Last year, students and professors prepared a record 650 combined state and federal tax returns, including 204 e-filed returns, and generated $367,423 in refunds.

About 423 taxpayers from Chicago and 20 suburbs were served. The largest refund was $10,900 to a Sugar Grove resident.

Additionally last year, collegiate tax preparers assisted taxpayers who
failed to file returns in 2002, 2003, and 2004, yielding many refunds for those years.

According to the IRS, Aurora University is second among Illinois colleges selected by the IRS to participate in VITA.

Before preparing returns for the public, college students complete 24 hours of classroom training which includes preparing more than 50 sample federal and state returns. Training continues as students prepare tax returns on Saturdays for the public.

Call (630) 844-6895 for information.

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