MOULTRIE — Moultrie YMCA staff has begun taking appointments for free tax preparation for non-itemized returns for moderate- to low-income workers. Households with income $57,000 or less qualify for this free service.

At Colquitt County Colquitt County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers work one-on-one with families and individuals to help file their tax returns and ensure that they receive the tax credits for which they qualify.

“The main purposes of our free services is to reduce tax fraud, increase awareness of tax credits and provide practical working experience to accounting students at local colleges. Students also receive service learning credits working with VITA,” said Andrea Scarrow, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent and coordinator of VITA sponsor Colquitt County Coalition on Financial Asset Building (CFAB).

“This is such a great opportunity for the accounting students at Moultrie Technical College,” said site coordinator and MTC accounting instructor Cari Colby. “The students gain invaluable experience working with the public, plus they have the chance to give back to their community in such a big way. The students learn so much about taxes, about professionalism, and about each other. It’s lots of work, but it’s also lots of fun.”

Last year, more than $155,000 was returned to Colquitt County residents through VITA. That figure was lower than the previous year's total of more than $200,000 due to an unfortunate cut in scheduling. This year, the goal is to provide one-on-one services to more than 200 households, organizers said.

“These are dollars that will be spent in our county,” Scarrow said. “That is good for the economy of Colquitt County. So our community will benefit by VITA ensuring that our workers get as much money back on their return as possible.”

VITA begins Tuesday, Jan. 29, at the industrial campus of Moultrie Tech and will run through Saturday, Feb. 23. Most of the appointments will be for Tuesdays and Thursdays at the MTC campus on Industrial Boulevard with one Friday at MTC’s main campus, one Saturday at Southwest Georgia Community Action Council and two at the Y.

For those who wish to do their own taxes, VITA can save them money as well. At MTC locations only, the Internal Revenue Service is providing a link to several tax prep programs, including MyFreeTaxes, Tax Slayer and Turbo Tax, where walk-ins can complete their federal and state tax returns (non-itemized as well as itemized returns) on their own at no fee.

“We will be available if you have questions,” said Lori Glenn, member of CFAB and coordinator for Colquitt County Family Connection. “You don’t have to sign up for this new service, and you have the option of completing your return elsewhere. So if you take your return home to finish, you still don’t have to pay filing fees.”

CFAB and VITA help moderate- and low-income families understand their finances and what tax credits they qualify for, especially earned income and child tax credits. The earned income tax credit is only available to those who work, but the child tax credit is available to all parents and guardians, regardless of income.

“All parents can benefit from the Child Tax Credit,” Scarrow said.

VITA sites have the ability to e-file returns so that a tax payer may receive a direct deposit refund to his bank account within seven business days.

Scarrow received funding through UGA to host a kick-off event at the Moultrie Y Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. Called Health and Wealth Fair 2013, the event will combine information and education about taxes, banking, budgeting and such with health exhibits with UGA Extension nutrition and UGA Archway health professionals. Exhibiting at the event also will be representatives of local banks and credit unions as well as an extreme couponing instructor.

“We'll have a mini-food distribution as well as other small giveaways, and the Y is allowing participants to ride the zipline for free. We're very excited about that,” Glenn said.

VITA is sponsored by Colquitt County Coalition on Financial Asset Building, Colquitt County Family Connection Collaborative, Moultrie Technical College, The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Moultrie YMCA, Southwest Georgia Community Action Council, The City of Moultrie and Colquitt County BOC.

To make an appointment, call the Moultrie Y at (229) 985-1154.