Church and library hosts free tax prep

BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Tax time is just around the corner and there are places people can go to get prepared.
The Raleigh County Public Library and The Heart of God Ministries will be holding free tax preparation for anyone who may need help with filing. The library’s preparation services have already been going on for a couple weeks and will last until April 1st. The Heart of God Ministries tax prep started today and will last until April 15th. Both have partnered with the VITA Program and have volunteers on hand to help people file.
“The way this works, it’s a little different than in years past, previously we had the AARP members here to help seniors get their taxes done. Well, with the pandemic of course they can’t meet with people in person,” Amy Stover, library director says. “But the VITA Program will have you come in and make an appointment, you bring all your information in and we make copies of it, they go work on it remotely,  you come back and sign it, and they file your taxes.”
The VITA Program, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, is a free IRS sponsored program that has been dedicated to helping lower to middle income families prepare for federal and state income taxes for many years. And, they will have volunteers on hand at the library and church to help assist anyone who may need help filing. Of course, there are certain documents people will need to bring to help them get their taxes filed, and Amy Stover, director at the library explains exactly what forms those include.
“Call and get an appointment first we’re filling up fast. Number two, you’re going to need your photo id, your social security card, and all your tax forms like your w2’s, your retirement documents, anything like that,” Stover reminds people.
The church tax preparation being offered is a convenient way for elderly people to go get their taxes filed by helpful volunteers.
“It’s a free service that we are going to do. Of course, we partnered with this program so we save them some money on taxes and I guess a lot of folks don’t have a tax preparer to go to because of Covid, so I think this will help out,” says Dwayne Schoolfield, treasurer at The Heart of God Ministries.
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