SPRINGFIELD, Mo., January 30, 2024 — Throughout February, Drury University students will provide free tax preparation to the community. The annual tax preparation service, conducted through an IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site, is open to the public and is designed to benefit low-income taxpayers.
“The tax clinics provide a win-win situation for our students and the community. It provides our low-income community with access to free tax preparation services and our students get to apply knowledge they have gained in the classroom,” said Dr. Tiffany Cossey, Director-VITA Program and Associate Professor of Accounting. “Though students may take tests and prepare practice returns to get ready, nothing enhances their professional skills like working with real people. While they are always very nervous when they begin the process, helping the community gives them a real sense of satisfaction and completing the returns makes them more confident.”
The Drury tax service primarily accepts walk-in clients. The site calls its last client one hour prior to closing. VITA clinics are held at the C.H. “Chub” O’Reilly Enterprise Center, on the corner of Central Street and Drury Lane. The clinics will be held on the following dates and times:
Monday, Feb. 5 – 4 to 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 12 – 4 to 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 19 – 4 to 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 26 – 4 to 7 p.m.
Drury students will also be participating in tax preparation at the Taxapalooza Community Event held at the Springfield Dream Center, located at 829 West Atlantic Street, Springfield, MO. Appointments are not accepted. This event will be held on the following date and times:
Saturday, Feb. 17 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All returns will be filed electronically unless the IRS requires a manual return. All taxpayers must be available to sign the appropriate forms in the case of joint returns.
Taxpayers are required to bring photo ID and Social Security cards for themselves and dependents, as well as any tax documentation which they have received, including all W-2 forms, 1099 forms and statements issued by brokerage firms. Clients are also asked to bring a copy of their 2021 state and federal tax returns to help speed up the filing process.
Due to limitations set by the federal government, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs are unable to help taxpayers who have declared bankruptcy or incurred insolvency during the tax year, have rental property, have a self-owned business with inventory, depreciable property or which had an overall loss for the year and certain situations in which a taxpayer has received a forgiveness of debt.
Community members with questions can contact Dr. Tiffany Cossey at (417) 873-7383 or tcossey@drury.edu.
