Financial/Legal programs

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

The VITA program provides free tax assistance to individual taxpayers and families.

University of Missouri students in the department of Personal Financial Planning are trained and IRS-certified to provide this free service to individuals in the Columbia community, primarily for people with low to moderate incomes, those with disabilities, the elderly and English-as-a-second-language taxpayers.

Starting Jan. 31, 2022, VITA services will be provided at the Family Impact Center on Mondays on a walk-in basis from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. (no services on March 14 due to Spring Break).

Be sure to bring:

• Photo Identification for you and your spouse (if applicable)
• Social Security cards for every person listed on the return
• W-2s for every job worked
• Routing and account number for direct deposit (if desired)
• The amount of any stimulus received or not received
• Last year's tax return (optional, but helpful)

If you have these forms, please bring them:

• 1099-Interest
• 1099-Dividends
• 1099-R Retirement income
• 1098 Mortgage interest
• 1099-NEC Nonemployee compensation
• 1099-MISC Other income
• 1098-E Student loan interest
• 1098-T Tuition and your account statement
• 1099-G Unemployment
• 1099-G State refund
• 1099-B Broker exchange
• SSA 1099 Social Security income
• 1095-A Marketplace Statement
• W-2G Gambling income
• Form 5674 Verification of Rent Paid, signed by your landlord
• Real estate and personal property tax receipt
• Childcare expenses and the name, address, and tax ID of the provider
• Identity Protection PIN from the IRS for everyone who has one in your family

For more information on the tax assistance program, visit the MoTax: Missouri Taxpayer Education Initiative website. If you are looking for a free tax preparation alternative, try IRS FreeFile to prepare and file your own tax return for free.