Oak Ridge Today

Tax assistance center opens Feb. 8

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The Oak Ridge Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center will open on Tuesday.

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.

Oak Ridge VITA program will again be housed at the United Way Offices at 728 Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge. Hours are from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The office is staffed entirely by IRS certified volunteers-preparers, greeters, and computer experts. United Way of Anderson County provides funds for software and provides office space, the press release said.

COVID-19 protocols were instituted for the 2020 and 2021 tax seasons and will be in place again this year. VITA tax preparers will not meet in person with taxpayers, but they will prepare taxes and communicate by telephone with taxpayers as needed, the press release said. Taxpayers will need to bring their materials to the United Way office, where greeters will help assure that all materials needed are included.

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Free income tax service offered in Oak Ridge

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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. [Read more…]

Anderson, three other counties join Retire Tennessee program

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Retire Tennessee

Anderson, Carter, Sumner, and Unicoi counties align with 15 established communities 

NASHVILLE—Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Kevin Triplett announced last week that Anderson, Carter, Sumner, and Unicoi counties have been added to Retire Tennessee, the state’s retiree recruitment marketing program. That brings the total number of active Retire Tennessee counties to 19, a press release said.

“It’s great to officially add four new counties to this important state program,” Triplett said. “Tennessee has much to offer people making retirement decisions based on quality of life and cost of living. Our state has the lowest cost of living in the Southeast and second lowest in the nation, no state income tax, and low property tax. Add to that, the state’s breathtaking scenic beauty and unparalleled hospitality, and it’s only natural Tennessee would rank high among the population relocating after retirement.”

The four counties join Cumberland, Franklin, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Loudon, Maury, Putnam, Rhea,  Roane, Robertson, Sullivan, Warren, and White counties as Retire Tennessee counties. Now in its ninth year, Retire Tennessee inspired more than 10,000 inquiries from potential retirees last year. Tennessee is one of only four states with retiree recruitment as a formal program and continues to gain momentum as a potential retirement destination for more than 78 million baby boomers. [Read more…]

Alexander, Corker support legislation to allow states to collect online sales taxes

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U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Senator Bob Corker

Bob Corker

U.S. senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker announced their support this week for federal legislation that would allow states to collect sales taxes on items bought online and through catalogs.

“Currently, remote businesses do not have to collect sales taxes in the states they sell into, while brick-and-mortar businesses do, creating a price disadvantage,” said Alexander, a Tennessee Republican.

He said the Marketplace Fairness Act would grant states the option to require that remote businesses, such as those selling online or through catalogs, collect sales taxes on purchases within states’ borders. The U.S. Senate voted 74-20 on Monday to begin debating the legislation. [Read more…]