Free Help Available for Completing Tax Returns

Free assistance in completing federal and California state income tax forms will be available in March and April through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, sponsored by the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Volunteers from the program, all UC Davis law students, will be at four Yolo County sites beginning in March: the Memorial Union on the UC Davis campus, the Davis post office, the Woodland post office and the County Fair Mall in Woodland. At the Memorial Union, VITA members will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays beginning Thursday, March 12, and ending April 10. Volunteers will offer their services on Saturdays, starting Saturday, March 14, for the other three locations. They will be at the Davis post office from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Woodland post office from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at the County Fair Mall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Saturday, April 11. Members will also be at the Davis post office from 6 p.m. to midnight on April 15. Trained by the Internal Revenue Service, program volunteers can help complete forms 1040 EZ, 1040 A and simple 1040s. Volunteers do not actually fill out the forms, but provide assistance that will enable people to complete the forms by themselves in succeeding years. People who wish to avail themselves of the VITA program's services should bring information concerning their income, interest earnings, charitable deductions and other appropriate tax-related materials. For more information, call (916) 752-0243.