Bureau of Internal Revenue Director nominee, Joel Lee, and Aubrey Washington, chair of the University of the Virgin Islands’ Accounting and Finance Department, announced on Thursday the continued partnership that allows accounting students at U.V.I. to provide a community service to taxpayers: B.I.R.’s audit staff and U.V.I. students will help taxpayers with the filing of their 2018 income tax returns, the release said.
This is a free service offered to taxpayers who are filing simple tax returns with the Bureau. The Volunteer Taxpayer Assistance Program will start on all three islands on Saturday, February 23, and will run until April 13, except for Saturday, March 16 and March 30. Assistance will be provided on a first come first serve basis, according to the release.
On St. Thomas, the program will be at the Bureau’s office at 6115 Estate Smith Bay, in Red Hook, across the street from the Red Hook dock from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
On St. Croix, the program will be held at the Bureau’s office at 4008 Estate Diamond from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. On St. John, the program will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Bureau’s office at the Motor Vehicle Bureau in Cruz Bay.
Taxpayers should have available all W-2VIs, 1099Rs (Retirement Income), other Form 1099s (Interest and Other Income), and Form SSA (Social Security Income) readily available when they arrive at the office, the release said.
Interested persons are asked to refer questions about the Volunteer Taxpayer Assistance Program to Perpetua Cranston on St. Croix at 773-1040, extension 4233, and to Le’Tishma Smith on St. Thomas and St. John at 715-1040, extension 2276.
Mr. Lee reminded the taxpaying public that it is against the law for any B.I.R. employee to charge fees for preparation of a tax return. Any taxpayer who can provide proof of payment to a B.I.R. employee for the preparation of tax returns is asked to call Mr. Lee at (340) 773-1040, ext. 4223 to report this violation.
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