Now in its eighth year serving all areas of the Nakusp region, the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will launch into action on February 24 with a training workshop offered in preparation for the upcoming income tax filing season.
For those not familiar with the CVITP, this date is when volunteers who would like to be trained to provide free and confidential assistance to adults of any age, whose income does not exceed the limits determined by Canada Revenue ($30,000 or less for singles or $35,000 for couples, rising an additional $2,000 per child), by signing up for the mandatory training workshop sponsored by Canada Revenue, in order to become an active part of the area-wide CVITP team of helpers.
In our own region, the training workshop takes place beginning 9 a.m. at Robertson United Church in Nakusp on February 24.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the national program. According to Anderson, this is the time to reflect on the “huge positive impact” that our joint efforts as volunteers, have had upon tens of thousand of Canadians over the years.
Southern Interior CVITP volunteers collectively prepare close to 10,000 returns annually, and in the Nakusp/New Denver and Fauquier general area, the trained team averaging eight in number, prepares in excess of 100 tax packages each year. As well, they respond to general questions related to the options available when preparing to file one’s own return, through to what changes, additions or deductions have been implemented applicable to the 2010 tax return and in many other cases, returns stretching back for several years.
“This represents a great many people who have been afforded a sense of security and peace of mind through your considerable efforts,” says Anderson.
The Federal Government requires that all adults are asked to submit their return annually, preferably no later than April 30 in order to ensure that they are centrally registered on its computers, and qualify for specific financial benefits such as certain tax rebates, allowances, social assistance or Government pensions.
One’s tax return file is also used to ensure that one qualifies to take advantage of numerous other government sponsored programs and services made available to persons on low to moderate income, according to the set guidelines established.
This free income tax return program is not intended to compete with commercial enterprise and some restrictions do apply. For example, the trained CVITP volunteer is not permitted to complete business returns or those related to high income earners, or those which are complex and investment or estate matters
Such tax returns are best dealt with by professionally qualified service providers generally located within each community and are listed in one’s telephone directory or through the Chamber of Commerce.
Those wishing to register for the Nakusp area training session are asked to contact Bernard Anderson at 250-870-5576. Advance registration will also help ensure that sufficient software and other training materials will be available to participants at the workshop.