Puzzled by the tax laws or which credits and deductions to take? Need assistance with your tax return? You may want to visit our volunteer site here at UB. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program or the Tax Counseling for International Student (TCIS) Program as we call it here offers free tax help for you. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers provide free tax assistanceto all international students going to the University of Bridgeport or Bridgeport International Academy.VITA, a national program, offers free tax support towards low-to-moderate income ($36,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, andother convenient locations.Tax Counseling for the International Students here at UB, provides free tax assistance to students at UB who are non-residents whetheryou work on campus or off. If you do not have a job or you have never worked since you came to the US, it is of grave importance that you file an Exemption Form; this tells the government that you are a student thus a non-resident. Without filing this form, you could find yourself in sticky situations upon graduation with the Internal Revenue Service. Take for example a student who came in fall of 2000, got her social security number but only began working in February of 2001 and is still working now. She graduated May 2004. She has never filed for tax return and has not filed an Exemption Form. This person will need to file ASAP.Items you need to bring to the VITA/TCIS Sites to have your tax returnsprepared:úPhoto identificationúCurrent Passport úSocial Security CardúCurrent year’s tax package if you received oneúWage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G from all employersúInterest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)úA copy of last year’s Federal and State returns if availableúBank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct DepositúOther relevant information about income and expensesIt is extremely important that you use the correct Social Security Number (SSN). The most accurate information is usually located on your original social security card. Each year hundreds of thousands of returns are delayed in processing or credit/deductions are disallowed because names and Social Security Numbers do not match Social Security Administration records. To prevent processing delays in any returns, the volunteers need to check the accuracy of each Social Security Number, as well as the spelling of the name associated with the number. So, remember to bring you SSN card along with youwhen you visit the site.Stop by the International Affairs Office anything between
8:30am – 4:30pm weekly, Mondays -Fridays to make an appointment. We are eager to help!For those domestic students who would like help in filing their taxes, some VITA sites in our area available to help you at no cost are as follows:CAREER RESOURCES BRIDGEPORT (VITA)350 FAIRFIELD AVE BRIDGEPORT CT 06604 Language Assistance: ENGLISH By Appointment Only – Contact Number: 203-333-5129
ABCD VITA (VITA)1070 PARK AVE BRIDGEPORT CT 06604 Language Assistance: ENGLISH By Appointment Only – Contact Number: 203-366-8241
PEOPLES BANK (VITA)1728 PARK AVE BRIDGEPORT CT 06604 Language Assistance: ENGLISH By Appointment Only – Contact Number: 203-372-5133
BRIDGEPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY (VITA)3455 MADISON AVENUE BRIDGEPORT CT 06606-6606 Language Assistance: ENGLISH
BRIDGEPORT LIBRARY-NORTH END (AARP)3455 MADISON AVE BRIDGEPORT CT 06606-1721 By Appointment Only – Contact Number: 203-576-7832