Free Tax Help At Aurora University Saturday, March 15

AURORA, Ill.—Tax time can be taxing. Aurora University's Dunham School of Business wants to help by preparing tax forms free for Chicago-area taxpayers.

The fourth of six free AU tax-preparation dates is Saturday, March 15, from 8 to 11 a.m. in Dunham Hall lobby, 1400 Marseillaise Place in Aurora.

Taxpayers are asked to bring a Social Security identification number and photo ID.

For a sixth straight year, the Internal Revenue Service has approved AU to provide free tax-form preparation help through the IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. A Social Security identification number and photo ID are required.

The service continues from 8 to 11 a.m. on March 29; and April 5. About 500 state and federal returns have been prepared for 250 area taxpayers since the service began Feb. 16.

AU tax-form preparers generated about $125,000 in refunds for taxpayers in the first two sessions. The largest refund was $6,017 to a taxpayer on Feb. 16.

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 who qualify.

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.

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.

Call (630) 844-6895 for information.

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