SUNDRE – People of modest incomes with simple tax returns can still take advantage of a program available at no cost through a local community service group.
Renate de Bruijn, Sundre-based Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society’s community outreach coordinator, said the annual Community Volunteer Income Tax Program has been “really busy this year.”
As of the time when de Bruijn spoke with the Albertan on April 18, she said volunteers involved in the delivering the program had dealt with 245 returns with a few remaining to be processed.
“We still have a pile in here; we’re just trying to catch up with what came in last week,” she said.
“We had quite a rush in the beginning of course,” she said, adding there also seemed to be another surge in mid-April amid concerns federal workers would go on strike combined with those who realized the deadline to file was looming ever larger.
Nine volunteers have since early March been reviewing and submitting tax returns ahead of the April 30 deadline to file, although the service is offered at any time throughout the year, she said.
“Taxes have to be filed before May 1,” she said, adding the bulk of returns processed by the volunteers are done in March.
“But we do them year-round if people need them done after,” she added.
People who gratefully turn to the program for help with their taxes are of modest incomes and usually receive a return. But while there are no tax penalties imposed by the government if they do not file on time, there are other issues that can arise to cause financial strain.
“We usually see a rush again kind of in June and July because their benefits will be cut off if they don’t file their taxes in time; that’s their penalty if they don’t file their taxes in time,” she said.
“So, when people realize that, they all of the sudden come back to our office, and say, ‘Hey I need my taxes done!’”
Demand for the service seems to have increased, and de Bruijn said this year has felt busier than in the past.
“We’re reaching a lot of people,” she said.
Anyone who might be interested in taking advantage of the program need simply drop by GNP’s office – located on the west-facing portion of the Sundre Community Centre building – to pick up some forms that must first be filled out and submitted before volunteers can process their tax return.
The office is open Tuesday to Thursday with volunteers running the program present from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The forms people need to fill out first are available in a mail box at the office’s foyer, which is open throughout the week, she said.
Those with more complex tax situations such as self-employment income, business or rental income and expenses, capital gains or losses, bankruptcy, or handling the affairs of a deceased loved one, are not eligible.
The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program is partly funded by GNP with a boost from a federal grant that covers costs for supplies such as ink as well as paper and is available depending on how many tax returns are processed every year, she said.
