The University of Mississippi School of Law’s Pro Bono Initiative, directed by professor Deborah Bell, will offer a free tax assistance service for Oxford area residents this tax season. The service will be available to taxpayers with household earnings of $57,000 or less in the 2011 tax year.
The program, called Free Assisted Self-Service Tax Preparation (FAST), allows IRS-certified students and professors to assist individuals with preparing basic tax returns and e-filing. The program will provide taxpayers with the use of laptop computers, wireless Internet and professional tax software. Taxpayers will be able to e-file their return and receive their refund in less than two weeks.
“The best thing about the program is that it satisfies a huge need for tax assistance in the Oxford area,” said Emily James, a third-year law student and the FAST Site Coordinator. “Many FAST-qualifying taxpayers pay for filing assistance and end up in financial trouble because they don’t get the refund they expected. We offer a completely free service so taxpayers can keep the entire amount of their refund.”
In addition to benefitting the community, the program will serve as a learning experience for students, Bell said.
“This program helps the community, but is also a great chance for law students to connect with the community, learn interviewing skills, and practice their tax knowledge,” Bell said.
The service will be offered at the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., from Jan. 17 through April 17. For convenience, the service will also be open on Saturday, Jan. 28 and Saturday, Feb. 4.
Interested taxpayers must have the following items with them in order for their taxes to be prepared:
- Social Security numbers for everyone claimed on the return
- Valid photo identification
- All income documents such as W-2’s, 1099’s, etc.
- For Direct Deposit: a canceled check or bank account routing number and account number
For more information, call the Oxford United Way Hotline at 662-236-4251 or visit facebook.com/OxfordFAST.