Free tax assistance will be available at Coastal Carolina University beginning Tuesday, Feb. 18, through Thursday, April 2, through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service. The University's accounting students will prepare and e-file basic tax returns for taxpayers with annual earnings of less than $55,000.

Assistance will be available in Room 204 of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration building on Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. There will be no VITA hours from March 9 to 13 due to the University's Spring Break holiday.

Please bring a photo ID, Social Security cards for you and your dependents, W-2s, 1099s, tuition statements (form 1098-T), a copy of last year's tax return and any other information regarding your income taxes. To obtain a direct deposit of any refund, please bring a voided check. On a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the consent form. If you are a student, you must know whether or not you are a dependent on your parents' tax return. If you plan to itemize your deductions, bring an organized and summarized list of your qualifying deductions. Qualifying deductions include, for example, medical expenses, property taxes, interest on a home, and charitable contributions (see IRS.gov for more information). For 2018, your itemized deductions would need to exceed $12,000 if single or $24,000 if married filing jointly; otherwise, the standard deduction will result in less tax. Tax returns will be prepared on a first-come, first-served basis. No tax returns can be started within one hour of closing time. For more information, contact Tanya Smith at twardgup@coastal.edu or 843-349-5087.