Q: What sort of information or documentation do I need to bring with me when I go to a VITA site? Is there anything out there to help organize my paperwork?

A: The people at AccountAbility Minnesota came up with the following list, which can also be found at their website, www.accountabilitymn.org:

What to bring to a Tax Site:

• Valid picture I.D.
• Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) cards or letters and birth certificates for all persons listed on the tax return
• Prior year's tax return
• For direct deposit of your refund, bring a voided check or your savings account and routing information.
  
• Income statements or forms:

• Wages from each job (Form W-2)
• Interest (Form 1099-INT)
• Dividends (Form 1099-DIV)
• Retirement Plans (Form 1099-R)
• Gambling Winnings (Form 1099-2G)
• Unemployment (Form 1099-G)
• Social Security Benefits (Form SSA)

• Year end income statements for MFIP, SSI, MSA, GA, veterans' benefits, and worker's compensation
• Education expenses you paid for your children in grades K-12. For example: tutoring, rental/purchase of instrument, music lessons, pens, pencils, and notebooks
• Tuition expenses you paid to attend a university/technical college (Form 1098-T)
• Interest you paid on student loans (Form 1098-E)
• Daycare expenses you paid for your children. Bring provider's name, address, and tax ID or social security number
• Charitable donations of cash and non-cash
• Hmeowners: Mortgage interest and real estate taxes paid in 2007 (Form 1098) and Statement of Property Tax Payable  in 2008 mailed by the county in March
• Renters: Certificate of Rent Paid (CRP) from your landlord

For more information, please contact:
AccountAbility Minnesota
2300 Myrtle Street
Suite 180
St. Paul, MN 55114
www.accountabilitymn.org
(651)287-0187