Appointments are still available for free tax program offered through Tusculum

Free tax preparation and filing services, offered by Tusculum College’s new Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, are still available by appointment for residents in Greene and surrounding counties.

The IRS-certified tax preparation program currently provides two locations in Greene County, as well as a location in Gray  where trained volunteers are available to assist members of the public with the preparation of their tax returns and to answer any tax questions they may have.

Locations include: Monday nights at Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union’s community room in Gray, Thursdays at Tusculum College and Saturdays at Greeneville Power and Light. Appointments are available through April 13.

Led by Dr. Harold Branstrator, associate professor of management at Tusculum College, the VITA program offers a free alternative to the expensive services of a paid tax professional. The student volunteers of the VITA program have completed roughly 1,000 returns annually since 2014, often saving clients $200 or more that they would have spent on payments for alternative, fee-based, services.

“There are still appointments available in Greene County at both the Tusculum and Greeneville Light and Power System sites,” said Dr. Branstrator. “We encourage anyone who qualifies to take advantage of this free, professional program with IRS-trained volunteers. There is no expense to the filer to have their federal income tax prepared and filed.”

Taxpayers eligible for VITA services include: individuals with annual incomes of less than $54,000, individuals over 55 years of age, individuals diagnosed with a physical disability and non English-speaking citizens.

Under the supervision of Dr. Branstrator, a former IRS employee, participants’ tax returns are prepared by Tusculum students who have completed a VITA-standard three-week certification process that facilitates their ability to meet the high level professional standards expected by the IRS.

Dr. Branstrator said the program has also helped students, particularly those in business-related fields of study, acquire real world experience that they could not obtain in the classroom.

Appointments are required. Sites and days of operation include:

Mondays: ACFCU, 5034 Bobby Hicks Highway, Gray, TN 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.;

Thursdays: Tusculum College, Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons, Greeneville, TN, 5:30-8:30 p.m.;

Saturdays: Greeneville Power and Light System Boardroom, 110 N. College St., Greeneville, TN 9 a.m. – noon.

To schedule an appointment, call (800) 378-3778 and wait for the operator, or register online at www.tusculum.edu/vita/.