Release Date: March 21, 2007

MONMOUTH, Ill. — For the eighth consecutive year, Monmouth College is offering computerized tax preparation and e-filing at no cost to the taxpayer. This service is provided in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program under its Stakeholder Partnership, Education and Communication Division.

Last year the VITA program prepared or assisted with 333 federal and 328 state returns. This represented a 24 percent increase over the previous year. E-filed returns increased by 49 percent over 2005. Since the computerized service began at Monmouth College in 2000, the program has experienced an increase of more than 250 percent for returns prepared/assisted and an increase of nearly 600 percent for e-filed returns. On a scale of 1 to 5, taxpayers rated their overall satisfaction as 4.93, and 100 percent of the taxpayers said they would use VITA’s services again and also recommend a friend.

Tax preparation is on a first-come, first-served basis. There are three locations:

1. Monmouth College (Room 308 of McMichael Academic – one building east of the college’s main building, Wallace Hall). Through April 11, VITA will be available Monday and Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. There will be no session on April 9.

2. Warren County Public Library (60 Public Square, Monmouth). Sessions will be held each Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. through April 14.

3. Galesburg Public Library (40 E. Simmons St.). Through April 14, sessions will be held each Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

For questions regarding this service, contact Peterson at 309-457-2365 or visit the VITA Web site at: http://department.monm.edu/accounting/vita.htm.
 

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