The Community Volunteer Income Tax Preparation Program is reminding people of its free income tax services.
“We are a group of long-time volunteers,” said Surinderpal Rathor of the 40-plus-year-old program. “We’ve all gone through training and screening. In fact in 2016 we will need to have criminal record checks done.”
There are some restrictions to who the volunteers can help, Rathor explained.
Services offered through the program are available to single people with a maximum income of $30,000, a couple with a combined income of $40,000, for an adult and one child with an income of $35,000 and an additional $2,500 for each child.
Clients must have an interest income of less than $1,000.
Additionally, volunteers cannot prepare returns for people who are deceased, bankrupt or self-employed.
However, each situation is taken on its own merit.
“If someone comes in who had a higher income in 2014, but isn’t working now, we will look at their situation,” Rathor said.
While the program is not a government agent, volunteers encourage everyone to do their income tax returns because there are benefits.
Six sittings with volunteers are scheduled in March.
Three are open to residents only at Glen Arbor on March 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Seniors Village on March 11 from 1:30 to 3 p.m., and Sunset Manor on March 17 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
The other three sessions, open to the general public, will take place at the Seniors Activity Centre March 12, 10 a.m. to noon,
Salvation Army March 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m. and the Immigration and Multicultural Services Society March 24, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Clients can also drop off their tax information papers at either the Seniors Activity Centre or the Women’s Contact Society, or call Rathor at 250-392-0909.