Jan 7, 2014 2 min read

Community Action Southwest will offer free, basic, online income tax filing assistance to qualified working households in Washington and Greene counties who made less than $50,000 in 2013.

Through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, CAS assisted a total of 603 households in the two counties to file their income taxes last year, and $599,492 was refunded to taxpayers.

CAS operates its VITA Program in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service and through funding from both United Way of Washington County and Greene County United Way. The majority of volunteers who assist the taxpayers in filing their taxes are students from Washington & Jefferson College and Waynesburg University.

Volunteers are trained to assist taxpayers to receive the appropriate tax credits for which they eligible, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, a federally funded tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.

VITA sites will be open Feb. 5 through April 9 in both counties. Appointments are available each week from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays in Washington and Waynesburg, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays in Washington.

Appointments, which can be made by calling Pennsylvania 2-1-1 Southwest, are required at both locations.

New to the program this year, taxpayers must call 2-1-1 to find out if they qualify for the program and make their appointment. Representatives at 2-1-1 are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

When taxpayers arrive for their scheduled appointments, they will need to bring the following documentation: valid photo identification, a Social Security card for every person on the tax return and all 2013 income documents.

If taxpayers want to have their refunds directly deposited into a bank account, they must bring their account information in the form of an official document from the bank with their routing and account numbers on it, such as a check.

This year, CAS’ program will not be able to provide tax preparation assistance to senior citizens who rely on Social Security and pensions. They can be served through a number of Tax Counseling for the Elderly sites across the two-county area.