Milwaukee Area Technical College
Press Release

Free Help with Tax Returns Offered at MATC’s Downtown Milwaukee and Oak Creek Campuses

All returns are e-filed to ensure speed and accuracy.

By - Jan 13th, 2017 10:22 am

MILWAUKEE (Jan. 13, 2017) – Taxpayers with a family income of $54,000 or less are eligible for free help preparing their basic personal income tax returns at Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus, 700 W. State St.; and Oak Creek Campus, 6665 S. Howell Ave. MATC accounting students provide the service in cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs. Volunteers are trained by the Internal Revenue Service and supervised by MATC instructors and staffMATC’s VITA sites are sponsored by Guaranty Bank.

All returns are e-filed to ensure speed and accuracy. Now in its 35th year at the Oak Creek Campus and its 15th year at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus, the program heightens awareness of Wisconsin’s Homestead Credit; federal and state education credits; and the Earned Income Credit, an often overlooked federal tax break for low-income working people who are raising children in their homes.

Downtown Milwaukee Campus Dates and Hours

Tax help will be offered Tuesdays and Saturdays from Jan. 28 through April 4. Tuesday sessions will be held 6-7:30 p.m. and Saturday sessions will be held 10 a.m-1:30 p.m. The first 20 clients will receive assistance Tuesdays and the first 30 clients will be served on Saturdays. Registration begins one hour before start time. Go to the Information Desk on the first floor of the Student Center, 700 W. State St. to register.

Oak Creek Campus Dates and Hours

Tax help will be offered Saturdays from Feb. 4 through April 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go to Room A120 in the A Building. Taxpayers will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Attendees should bring the following:

  • A copy of last year’s federal and state returns is necessary. Preparers will not have access to prior tax returns done at MATC VITA sites.
  • Proof of identification (photo ID)
  • Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents; (An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted if you do not have a Social Security number.)
  • Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN
  • Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
  • Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers
  • Interest and dividend statements from banks (1099 Forms)
  • Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check
  • Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number
  • Forms 1095-A, B or C, Affordable Health Care Statement, if applicable
  • Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable
  • Copy of 2016 property tax bill or rent certificate signed by your landlord

Taxpayers filing a joint return must both be present when the returns are prepared, because both spouses must sign a joint tax return.

This is the fourth year Guaranty Bank has supported the MATC VITA program. “We’re excited to partner with Milwaukee Area Technical College as they provide valuable support to the community during tax season,” said Nina Johnson, senior vice president of Guaranty Bank. “We partner with VITA organizations throughout our footprint because we believe that it is a great way to show how committed we are to the community. For more than 90 years, we have dedicated ourselves to supporting hardworking families. Our chairman, Gerald Levy, and CEO, Doug Levy, have always reinforced the importance of community in light of the bank’s mission.  Guaranty’s dedication to helping customers achieve their financial dreams is demonstrated through a wide array of products such as our latest innovative solution, “Credit Builder,” a $1,000 loan and savings product that is used to help customers build and repair their credit scores. We look forward to supporting MATC’s VITA initiative and providing their clients with solutions that strengthen their overall credit rating.”

For more information, please call Bobbie Sherrod, (414) 297-8417, at the Downtown Milwaukee Campus; or Jim Benedum, (414) 571-4757, at the Oak Creek Campus.

A free self-service tax filing website for individuals or families with a combined household income of $62,000 or less in 2016 is available at http://www.myfreetaxes.com.

Wisconsin’s largest technical college and the most diverse two-year institution in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. Approximately 50,000 students per year  attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers 200 academic programs; nearly 400 transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees; and the School Pre-College Education, which assists people with completing high school, preparing for college or entering the workforce. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission, the national standard for academics and student services.

Guaranty operates more than 120 branches in five states including Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois; and Michigan and Georgia under the BestBank banner. As one of the top supermarket banks in the country, Guaranty is firmly committed to serving hardworking families and providing customers with the most accessible and convenient banking experiences possible.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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