GREENEVILLE – Do you dread completing your federal income tax return or find the process too complex? Tusculum University is ready to help you again this year.
Income tax preparers in the VITA program serve their clients at the Meen Center at Tusculum University in 2024.
Free preparation of income tax returns will be available from Tusculum students and community volunteers beginning in February and continuing through April. Friendly service provided by these well-trained individuals under the supervision of Dr. Harold Branstrator, a former Internal Revenue Service revenue agent, will be available at the Meen Center on the Tusculum campus as well as Westminster Presbyterian Church in Johnson City and the Washington County Public Library in Jonesborough.
“We are thrilled to provide this service to the community each year as part of our commitment to civic engagement,” said Dr. Branstrator, a current IRS enrolled agent and associate professor of management at Tusculum, who oversees the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. “Income tax return preparation can be challenging for some people, and they might be unsure how they can achieve the best possible result for them. We are here to help.”
Those who qualify for free tax return preparation services include:
- People who generally earn $70,000 or less a year
- Anyone older than 65
- People with disabilities
- Limited-English-speaking taxpayers
- People who have earned income in the United States but are not American citizens
In light of the damage Hurricane Helene caused, Dr. Branstrator wants to be sure those who might have sustained casualty losses know they also qualify for a free tax return preparation.
This is the ninth year Tusculum has participated in the VITA program. In 2024, Tusculum students and community volunteers prepared a record 1,017 returns, and Dr. Branstrator said he is focused on the program providing a high level of service again this year.
The dates and times when tax preparation services will be available are:
- Mondays, 5-9 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2343 Knob Creek Road, Johnson City – Feb. 10, Feb. 24, March 3, March 10, March 24, March 31 and April 7
- Thursdays, 5-9 p.m., Meen Center – Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27, March 6, March 13, March 27, April 3 and April 10
- Saturdays, 9-1, Washington County Public Library, 200 E. Sabine Drive, Jonesborough – Feb. 15, Feb. 22, March 1, March 8, March 29 and April 5
The schedule includes off days in observance of Presidents’ Day and Tusculum’s spring break.
Appointments are scheduled in one-hour increments, but more time is available for clients who need extra assistance. Tusculum can accommodate as many as 12 clients for each time slot at Westminster and the Meen Center and eight clients for each time period at the library. Walk-ins are welcome, but they might need to wait for an opening.
Tusculum student Antonio Sanchez, right, and a community volunteer, second from the left, prepare income tax returns at the Washington County Library in Jonesborough in 2024.
Tusculum students and community volunteers prepare income tax returns at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Johnson City in 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Harold Branstrator, who is standing.
Clients should bring their W-2 and 1099 forms, dividend and interest statements, tax documents related to their small business or rental property and any other items required for a complete filing.
Those who want to complete the tax return on their own are welcome to come to one of the three sites when tax return preparation is occurring and use a laptop provided by Tusculum. The university began offering that option in 2024.
To schedule an appointment, please visit https://bit.ly/3WCpDKD or call Dr. Branstrator at 423-636-7414.
Any community member who is interested in volunteering to prepare income tax returns can call Dr. Branstrator at 423-636-7414 or email hbranstrator@tusculum.edu. To serve as a preparer, a person must attend training sessions Saturday, Jan. 25; Saturday, Feb. 1; and Saturday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
“The VITA program is exceptional and further strengthens our connections with the community,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “It is also an outstanding active and experiential learning method for our students and helps those who want to attain full-time jobs in this field become career-ready. Dr. Branstrator has performed marvelously in this leadership role and has positively influenced people’s lives. We thank him for his commitment to this initiative.”
Additional information about the program is available at https://web.tusculum.edu/vita/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.