The Meadville Public Library and Allegheny College are once again offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program to prepare local, state and federal income tax returns for FREE! The program will run from Tuesday, February 20 through Thursday, April 11. The site will be closed March 2 through March 9, and on March 30.
How Can I Get My Taxes Done?
- We have a limited number of appointments available. Call 814-336-1773 to schedule an appointment.
- We will be open on Saturdays from 10 AM to 12 PM to receive drop-offs. With drop-off service, you’ll be able to drop off your tax documents to a VITA volunteer and any pre-filled forms at a secure location. You will be contacted to return to the VITA site to review and sign your tax return after it has been prepared.
What if I Want to File My Own Taxes?
If you'd like to file your taxes on your own, The United Way has a website where you can prepare your taxes yourself. MyFreeTaxes, powered by TaxSlayer, is available nationwide and includes federal and unlimited state returns for FREE. There are no age or geographic limitations.
Is VITA For Me?
Our VITA volunteers will prepare state, local and federal tax returns for individuals from Northwest Pennsylvania that have income during 2023 of $60,000 or less. Wage earners and non-wage earners are both eligible.
What Do I Need to Bring?
- Photo ID (for each tax filer)
- Social Security Card (for everyone listed on the tax return), or ITIN (if you are foreign born and not eligible for Social Security Number)
- Birth Dates (for everyone listed on the tax return)
- All Tax Forms Received for the 2023 Tax Year
- All wages and earnings statements from Forms W-2, 1099-R, 1099 Misc, Social Security, unemployment, or other sources of income
- Interest and Dividend statements: Form 1099
- Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if received
- Affordable Health Care Statements: Forms 1095-A, B, or C
- A copy of last year's federal and state tax returns
- Records of expenses such as mortgage interest, tuition, real estate taxes
- For Day Care expenses: total amount paid to day care provider, day care provider's name, address, and business EIN or Social Security Number
- A voided check or bank account numbers for direct deposit
VITA by the Numbers
During the 2022 tax season, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program saved our tax payers $67,554 in fees as we filed 243 tax returns for free with $236,484 in federal refunds being returned to the community.
Other Resources
The IRS has a tool to check the status of your refund. Your refund status will appear around 24 hours after your return is e-filed. To track your refund, visit https://sa.www4.irs.gov/wmr/. Information is updated once a day, overnight.
**You Will Need:**- Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)
- Your filing status
- The exact refund amount on your return
To get your taxes filed through VITA, we will need to see your physical social security card. If you need a replacement, there are a few ways you can do so:
- Visit the local SSA office at 19063 Park Ave Plaza in Meadville.
- Fill out the Application for a Social Security Card and bring it to your local office along with unexpired identification. Documents must be original or have a signature, stamp, or raised seal from the issuing agency. They do not accept photocopies.
For support completing this task
- Call the Social Security Administration (Available in most U.S. time zones Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. in English and other languages.) at +1 800-772-1213. Tell the representative you want to request a replacement Social Security card.
- Call TTY +1 800-325-0778 if you're deaf or hard of hearing.
- The IRS IP PIN is a 6-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number on fraudulent federal income tax returns. A new IP PIN will be generated each year.
- If you were assigned an IP PIN, you must use it to confirm your identity on any return filed during the current calendar year. This includes current year returns as well as any delinquent tax returns.
