Information regarding all other deduction/credits, but not limited to:

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSITANCE (VITA)

VITA is designed to help low and moderate-income taxpayers, older adults, persons with disabilities, Native Americans, rural tax payers and those with limited English proficiency, complete their annual tax returns at no cost. IRS- certified volunteers provide free, basic tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in Coles and surrounding Counties.

What is VITA?

We Can Prepare:

If you answer yes to ANY of these questions, we CANNOT do your taxes: 

  • Did you live in any state other than Illinois at any time during the prior year and earn money in that state while you were there?
  • Did you receive ANY rental income in the year prior?
  • Did you receive ANY type of income from a farm OR income from a farmer from using your land during the previous year?
  • Were you self-employed at anytime during the prior year?
    • When you were self-employed, did you have any paid employees working for you?
    • When you were self-employed, did you purchase any items for resale to other people?
    • Did your self-employment have a loss last year instead of a profit?

Information regarding all other deduction/credits, but not limited to:

What to bring to your VITA appointment:

  • Proof of Identification: We are not allowed to do a return without an Illinois Driver's License or picture ID of the taxpayer. If married and filing a joint tax return, both need to bring an Illinois Driver's License or picture ID. 
  • Social Security Cards or SSA-1099 Social Security Benefit Statements for you, your spouse, and ALL dependents or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration.
  • Real Estate tax bill showing BOTH the amount paid during the proir tax year  AND the Property ID Number.
  • ALL Income statements (forms W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc., ect.) that you expect to receive for last years wages. You MUST have a W-2 from every place you worked at any time during the prior year even if it was for only one day last January. Do not make an appoinment until you receive ALL tax documents that you are expecting to receive.
  • Social Security: If you received Social Security during the previous year, you MUST have your SSA-1099 Social Security Benefit Statement showing  total received for the year and any amounts withheld for Medicare or income tax.
  • Savings Account: If you have a savings account, you MUST have your interest or dividend statements (forms 1009-INT and 1099 - DIV).
  • Investment Account(s): If you have an account with a company like Edward Jones, Wells Fargo, Raymond James, etc. you MUST have your 1099 statement from them showing any stocks or securities they purchased or sold you. If you had a loss for a salefrom a previous year that can be carried forward to this year, we MUST have your copy of last year's tax returntp be able to give you credit for it on this year's tax return.
  • Health Insurance: If you purchased health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace Exchange (Obama Care), you MUST have the form 1095-A that you receive from the Marketplace. Do not schedule an appointment until you receive your 1095-A.
  • Direct Deposit: If you want your your return direct deposited to your checking account, you MUST have a check to verify the bank's routing number and your account number.
  • Childcare Credit: If you want to claim a credit for childcare while you were working, you MUST have the babysitter or daycare provider's name, address, and their social security number (or their Employer Identification Number if they use that instead of a social security number for their business).
  • Filing Jointly: If married and filing a joint tax return, both spouses MUST sign the required forms.
  • Last Year's Tax Return:  It is VERY important that you bring a copy of last year's tax return with you. We do not keep copies of your tax return. Even if we have not previously asked to see one, a copy of your last year's federal and state tax returns will make it much easier and faster for us to correctly prepare this year's return and sometimes a return cannot be filed without a copy of last year's tax return.

We CANNOT Prepare your taxes if you have any of the following: 

  • Farm Income
  • Rental Income
  • Rent or Royalty income reported in Box 1 of 1099-Misc.
  • Form 1099-B from a broker with an entry in box 8,9,10,11,12, or 13
  • Form 1099-DIV with an amount in any of these boxes: box 2b ( section 1250 gain), box 2c (section 1202 gain), box 2d (collectibles gain), box 8 (cash liquidation distributions), or box 9 (non-cash liqidation distributions)
  • Self-employment income from resale of items you purchased
  • Self-employment income with deductions for use of your home
  • Self-employment income with a net loss for the year
  • Federal 1040EZ, 1040A, or 1040
  • Schedule A (Itemized Deductions)
  • Schedule B (Interest & Dividends)
  • Schedule C-EZ (Self-employment)
  • Schedule EIC (Earned Income Credit)
  • Schedule R (Disabled/Elderly Credit)
  • 2441 (Child & Development Care Credit)
  • 8812 (Child Tax Credit)
  • 8863 (College Education Credits)
  • Illinois - 1040