Tax assistance available through CVTC and RCU

EAU CLAIRE – Royal Credit Union is partnering with Chippewa Valley Technical College and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to provide assistance to community members with their tax returns.  VITA was created to provide free income tax return assistance to taxpayers who cannot afford to pay for professional help. VITA volunteers provide free tax assistance to anyone with an adjusted gross annual income of $57,000 or less including disabled, non-English speaking, senior citizens and special needs taxpayers. 

This service will be available on Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m. from February 3 until April 14, with the exception of March 24.  Services will be provided at CVTC’s Business Education Center at 620 W. Clairemont Avenue in Eau Claire.  Appointments for VITA are required; appointments can be made online by going to www.rcu.org/VITA or by calling 800-341-9911 and dialing extension 6.

Precautions like mandatory masks and physical distancing will all be in place to ensure everyone’s safety.  To limit the number of people involved, it is asked that only the client/spouse attend the appointment.  Translators or caregivers will be allowed for those clients that require them.  Royal Credit Union is among a number of credit unions in Wisconsin who are taking the initiative to help build financially strong, self-supporting families and communities by offering innovative services like VITA.

Tax returns are prepared by student volunteers from Chippewa Valley Technical College who have taken the steps to become certified by the IRS and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.  VITA offers free basic income tax return preparation and e-filing.  Taxpayers with complicated returns or questions will be referred to an IRS publication, to the IRS, or to seek private professional assistance. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis by the VITA volunteer.  Those that take advantage of this unique service are asked to bring photo ID, social security cards for taxpayer and all dependents, earnings statements, a copy of their tax return from last year, forms 1095(A, B or C) affordable health care statements, rent certificates from landlord or property tax statement, financial institution’s routing and account numbers for direct deposit.