STEUBENVILLE, OH—Accounting students from Franciscan University of Steubenville will once again offer free tax preparation and e-filing assistance to Ohio Valley residents as part of the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA).

Beginning Tuesday, February 13, 2024, and ending Saturday, April 13, 2024, students will be available at the Fort Steuben Mall near center court in the main entrance corridor (the former location of Claire’s Boutique). The students, who have all completed an individual income tax course and have passed a series of IRS training courses and exams, will assist with federal and state tax preparation. This assistance is available to taxpayers with less than $60,000 of total income.

Hours of operation are Mondays, 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.; Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.; Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.; Thursdays, 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.; Fridays, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.; and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Assistance will be unavailable from March 9-17 during Franciscan University’s Spring Break and from March 29-April 1 during the University’s Easter recess.

Franciscan University students can prepare form 1040; Schedules 1, 2, and 3; Schedules A, B, and D as well as forms for calculating child and childcare credits, education credits and earned-income credits. Students can also prepare Ohio tax returns for full-year residents of the state.  Taxpayers who purchased health insurance through an exchange and received federal subsidies reported on form 1095-A are not eligible for assistance at the site, nor are taxpayers who receive a 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC.  Local tax return preparation is not available.