Smoky River Family and Community Support Services – In Focus
Georgia Iliou
Director
Yes, folks, it’s that time of year again!
Please read the following article if you are interested in having your Income Tax completed by a CVITP volunteer!
The procedure has changed somewhat since last year. There are eligibility requirements.
The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will begin entering application on April 1 of 2017. This will be for the 2016 tax year. Should you require having your taxes done before, then you would need to find an alternate location.
Our procedure for the 2016 is as follows: starting March 1, first stop in to one of the FCSS offices and pick up an authorization form and envelope. This authorization for will be used to prepare your 2016 taxes, documents supporting your tax return also must be placed in the envelope.
If there is information missing your tax return may be delayed in being processed. If we are unable to reach you your tax return may be delayed in being processed.
Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) is collaboration between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and community organizations. Smoky River Family and Community Support Services is one of those organizations. We prepare income tax and benefit returns for eligible individuals who have modest income and simple tax situations.
The program is specific to the requirements of the returns being processed please read the following carefully before requesting the Community Volunteer Income Tax program volunteers to prepare your returns. If your application and slips are not eligible your envelope will be returned to you.
Are you eligible? The maximum allowable following eligible family income levels for the 2016 tax year to be: individual $30,000 or less; couple $40,000 or less; one adult, one child $35,000 or less; and each additional child $2,500, investment income less than $1,000 or less. If you are above the thresholds, we will not complete your tax return and your envelope will be returned.
We do not prepare returns for: individuals or families who have self employment income of any kind, receipts that are not government/employment issued, farming income, have business or rental income and expenses, have capital gains or losses, have employment expenses, filed for pre- or post- bankruptcy or deceased in the tax year. If you return is not simple we are not able to complete it. If your information has changed from the 2015 tax year and has not been updated by Revenue Canada, we can not complete your return.
Previous years: Should you require previous year returns completed you will need to call the office at (780) 837-2220 to set up a specific appointment. Previous years’ information will not be accepted for the month of April.
Understanding your rights and responsibilities and the benefits of filing an income tax and benefit return is an important aspect of financial literacy.
Did you know that there could be people in your community who are missing out on important tax credits and benefits that they may be entitled to because they are not filing and income tax and benefit return?
In 2015, country wide, over 2,000 organizations with 16,000 volunteers supported the Community Volunteer Tax Program (CVITP). Together, they filed over 600,000 tax returns for people in their community.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Georgia Iliou at (780) 837-2220 or at srfcss@live.ca.