A community volunteer service is operating once again this year to help those low-income individuals in need with their taxes.
The community volunteer income tax program, sponsored by the Canada Revenue Agency and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCH), operates from March 1 to April 30.
Volunteers will complete tax returns, free of charge, for low-income individuals earning less than $30,000 and families earning less than $40,000 in 2013. The program does not serve clients with self-employment income, rental property income or capital gains. Interest income must be less than $1,000.
There are three options for eligible clients, tax clinics by appointment, a drop-in tax clinic and two drop-off and pick-up depots.
Tax clinic options are available Fridays from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Gibsons and District Public Library by calling 604-886-2130; on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sechelt Seniors Centre by calling 604-885-3513 or 604-885-8910; and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the VCH Home Care Office in Sechelt by calling 604-741-0726.
Drop-in tax clinics on a first come, first served basis are offered Tuesdays from 3:15 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Community Resource Centre, 4420 Trail Ave. in Sechelt.
Clients can also drop off all their tax information, including T-slips, and fill out the client intake and TIS60 authorization forms at the VCH Home Care office in Sechelt Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or the VCH Health Unit at 494 South Fletcher Rd. in Gibsons Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Volunteers then carefully complete and e-file each client's tax return, usually within one week. Clients are notified when their returns are ready to be picked up.
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