Income Tax Assistance
There will be no free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) in McDonald County this year due to lack of volunteers. However, IRS-trained volunteers will continue to provide free federal and state tax return preparation at VITA sites in Joplin and Carthage. Property tax credit assistance is also available on specific dates.
There will be no free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) in McDonald County this year due to lack of volunteers. IRS-trained volunteers will continue to provide free federal and state tax return preparation at VITA sites in Joplin and Carthage.
Clients are asked to come equipped with last year’s tax return.
The walk-in Joplin VITA site is located in the Great Plains Federal Credit Union building at 2306 S. Range Line Road. Clients are instructed to enter from Highview Avenue and park at the rear of the building and take the elevator to the second floor. The site will be open from Jan. 29 to April 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The site will be closed on Feb. 19 for President’s Day and on Wednesdays in March and April.
The Carthage VITA site is by appointment only. Call 417-388-7609 to schedule an appointment on Wednesdays or Saturdays. The site will be open from Feb. 14 to April 14, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volunteers will be available to assist seniors and 100 percent disabled individuals in filing for property tax credits on MO-PTC forms.
Clients will need to bring all income documents and a paid real estate property-tax receipt or rent verification form or letter signed by a landlord with the amount of rent paid.
Homeowners with five or more acres will additionally need to bring a completed Form 948 approved by the county assessor.
Appointments are not needed for property tax credit assistance, which is available on three separate dates:
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, at the Southwest City Senior Center;
1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, and Tuesday, March 20, at the Pineville Legion Center.
Appointments for property tax credit preparation are required at other area senior centers and are available only on the dates below:
Joplin — Jan. 30 and 31, Feb. 1, 417-781-9353;
Webb City — Feb. 2 and 5, 417-673-1876;
Carthage — Feb. 7, 8, and 9, 417-358-4741; and
Neosho — Feb. 13, 15 and 16, 417-451-0981.
Those unable to keep an appointment are asked to call and cancel so someone else can be helped.