Carlisle

Law school offers free tax help

Students from Penn State University’s Dickinson School of Law are offering free tax preparation services to persons with low and fixed incomes, individuals with disabilities or special needs, and senior citizens age 60 or older.

Tax assistance is being offered to qualified residents of Carlisle and the surrounding communities through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sponsored by the IRS. All student volunteers are certified by the IRS and are trained to identify taxpayer eligibility for certain tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Dependent Care Credit and Credit for the Elderly.

From Feb. 4 through April 15, student volunteers will be available to prepare and electronically file federal and state tax returns, as well as prepare local tax returns on paper forms, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. Mondays and 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The tax clinic will be closed March 10-13. The tax clinic is located in room 143 of the former Advantica Building, the law school’s temporary home while construction is under way at its College Street facility. The Advantica Building is located at 1170 Harrisburg Pike (state Route 11), Carlisle, in Middlesex Township, just off Exit 226 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Exit 52 of Interstate 81. For directions, visit the law school's Web site at www.dsl.psu.edu/about/directions.cfm

Taxpayers may park in the visitors parking area in the front circular drive of the building and must use the front entrance. The handicap entrance is located in the rear of the building. Taxpayers must bring photo identification and Social Security cards for self, spouse and dependents; all tax forms, including W-2s and 1099s; any other relevant information about income and expenses; and bank routing number(s) and account number(s) for direct deposit of any tax refund due. To make an appointment, or for more information, call (717) 240-5130.

This is the 27th year that student volunteers from the law school are offering these free tax preparation services. During the last five years, student volunteers prepared more than 4,000 federal, state and local tax returns for more than 1,600 taxpayers, plus their spouses and dependents, residing in Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin, York, Franklin and Adams counties. In 2006 and 2004, the Penn State Dickinson School of Law VITA Site was nationally recognized by the American Bar Association – Law Student Division as the Outstanding Continuing VITA Site among law schools.

Last Updated July 22, 2015

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