A Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center has been open in Oak Ridge since February. The VITA program is an Internal Revenue Service initiative to help taxpayers by providing trained volunteers to prepare and electronically file individual tax returns at no cost to the taxpayers, a press release said.
During the 2018 tax season, almost 2,000 returns were prepared at the Oak Ridge site, and taxpayers received more than $2,100,000 in tax refunds, the press release said. The site served taxpayers from 17 counties in Tennessee.
The VITA office is located in the Trinity Outreach Center at 320 Robertsville Road in Oak Ridge. The hours are from 3-8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Between 28-32 returns can be completed each day during the week, and 12-15 returns can be completed on Saturday. The doors to the building will not open until the start time. The office is staffed entirely by volunteers: 17 preparers, eight greeters, and one computer expert. United Way of Anderson County provides funds for software and rent of the space, the press release said.
Taxpayers are seen on a first-come, first served basis. They need to bring photo identification, a copy of last year’s return, Social Security cards for all people listed on the return, health coverage forms, all relevant income forms (such as W-2s, 1099s, Social Security annual statement), and documentation for daycare, education, and itemized deduction expenses, the press release said.
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