The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, along with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), City of Chattanooga, University of Tennessee (UT) Extension and SunTrust Foundation, kicked off its 2018 free tax preparation services on Wednesday, and shared how people qualify to have their taxes prepared at no cost.
Urban League President and CEO Warren Logan, Jr.
said, “Families who are already stretching their dollars shouldn’t have to worry about how they are going to afford help with doing their taxes. Under the VITA program and with the support of our partners, the Urban League is proud to offer this free service again to help Chattanooga area families and give them some time back so they can focus on more immediate needs."
Under the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, the Urban League and its volunteers help qualified citizens with preparing their taxes. Volunteers began preparing federal and state income tax returns this week at 22 sites throughout Cleveland, Hamilton County, and Chattanooga, including Northgate Mall where the kickoff was held today.
“We are proud to partner with the Urban League to offer this free service to Chattanooga families. By removing the financial barrier associated with filing taxes, we can help return more dollars to the pockets of Chattanooga families, which ultimately contributes to our local economy,” said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke.
Individuals and households whose incomes were less than $54,000 last year may qualify for free tax preparation. Guests will need to bring all of their tax documents such as W2 forms, 1099-S forms, Social Security Cards for all children, valid photo identification, Affordable Care Act (ACA) Statements, 1095-A forms and home mortgage statements. To assist people, each VITA site will have free information on tax documents, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC), IRS updates and the VITA locations list.
United Way of Greater Chattanooga, SunTrust Foundation and UT Extension are co-sponsors of the VITA program in the Chattanooga area. For additional locations and hours of operation, citizens should call the Urban League at 423 756-1762, the City of Chattanooga at 311 or United Way at 211. To view the full list of locations and required tax documents, visit the Urban League website at www.ulchatt.net.