Tax time is here!
For the third year in a row, volunteers are hosting free income tax clinics in Vankleek Hill for all persons who meet income eligibility criteria.
Through the support of the Canada Revenue Agency’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) you could have your tax return prepared and electronically filed for free; no strings attached.
This service is meant for individuals with simple tax files: modest incomes (maximum of $35,000 for a single up to $52,500 for a family of 5), income from disability or pensions, students, and those who may experience barriers in understanding how to access and file their tax information. The two volunteers have decades of experience filing hundreds of personal income tax returns, and are able to offer patience and understanding one-on-one appointments.
“We are here to serve. The CRA provides our volunteers with great tools to simplify the filing process, and keep client information (like address and direct deposit information) up to date. If a client is unable to access their MyCRA account, we can (with client authorization) access a read-only copy of their account to provide them with any missing information they might need. For example, some clients may be missing out on important messages from the CRA because they’ve lost access to their account, may have misplaced a T-slip, or are unaware of outstanding debts with the CRA. We can provide them with that information directly from their account on the same day as their appointment,” says lead volunteer Alex Gillan, who is pleased to be returning for the third consecutive year to offer this free service.
Tax clinics are aimed to help simplify the tax filing experience, and help clients. Gillan notes that new services offered through the CVITP including authorization to view a client’s CRA account or the ReFILE service to correct past mistakes are only helping the program better serve the population. “Last year, within about 45 minutes I was able to help a client access over $800 worth of previously unknown and uncashed cheques from the CRA. I provided this client with the forms they needed to send to the CRA, prefilled and ready to be signed and mailed, Gillan said, adding that life changes like moving addresses or switching to direct deposit, in addition to a large number of benefit cheques someone may receive could cause cheques to go uncashed.
Not every low income file is eligible for the program. Persons with over $1,000 of self employment income, or foreign income, or those with more complex situations must seek advice from a tax professional or through the CRA website.
“It’s hard for me to turn anyone away,” Gillan says. “Some individuals will have a complex tax file and a low income, and professional accounting may be out of reach. But we absolutely do not want to cause any issues with their file, as we are not operating as tax professionals. So, even if someone doesn’t think they are eligible, I’d still rather they give us a call and we can see if we can provide them with some free resources, or guidance from the CRA website to get them started in the right direction,” Gillan says.
Last year, the Eastern Ontario Tax Clinics group, in affiliation with Trinity United Church, prepared and filed 45 tax returns, unlocking access to over $130,000 in refunds and benefits for local residents. “Any operational costs we may have (such as stationery) are funded through a grant from the Canada Revenue Agency. We volunteer our time to this as we know that we can take a huge burden off of someone’s shoulders and make things make a little more sense.”
Personal income taxes are due on April 30, 2024 to avoid any penalties on outstanding taxes owed. Alex notes, however, that no one should be worried about contacting his group after that date.
“If you do not owe taxes, you won’t be in trouble for filing late. You DO need to file before mid-June to ensure your benefits (GST, Ontario Trillium Benefit, and Carbon Tax Rebate) continue to be paid to you uninterrupted.” Alex notes finally, “If you are way behind on your tax returns, we have the software going back to 2018 and can help you get caught up – even if it means meeting more than once or over the span of many weeks,” Gillan ended.
The CRA provides a grant — in this case, to Trinity United Church — to support operations (it pays for stationery, police records checks, advertising and other administrative costs). The software (UFile), volunteer screening and training is provided by the CRA.
For more information, or to book an in person or virtual appointment please contact Alex’s group at [email protected] or 613-858-4370 between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays.
