Free tax clinic aims to help Loyalist students

Second year accounting student Sadie Montgomery working hard at the free tax clinic in Loyalist college. Photo by James Gaughan, QNet News

By James Gaughan

BELLEVILLE – Students in the accounting program of Loyalist College are running a free clinic to help their fellow students with taxes.

Students will be able to file their taxes every Tuesday from now until the beginning of April. They’ll also be able to go in to ask questions and get advice every other weekday.

The aim of the clinic is to educate students about how to file their tax returns correctly, as well as provide hands on training for the students overseeing it.

Sadie Montgomery is in her second year of accounting, she says the students running the clinic are there to provide as much help as possible to those who need it.

“We will go through it with you and explain what (money) you’re getting back, if you’re getting anything back.”

That’s good news for students like second year Aaron Offord of the architectural technology program. “Doing your taxes is a thing that should be taught in high school,” he says. “A lot of people don’t understand what you’re supposed to do.”

Offord says he didn’t go to the tax clinic last year but is considering going this year. “I know someone who went last year and they said it was really easy and really fast for them, plus it’s free and convenient.”

The clinic is designed to process returns quickly so students don’t have to spend hours doing them on their own. “If you drop off your tax return in the morning it will be finished by the afternoon,” said Montgomery. She also said, “you can drop of your documents before you go to class and by the end of the day you’ve got your taxes done.”

At the end of the process students will be given a USB with all their documents on it, as well as instructions on how to set up an online account with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Montgomery said there is a whole list of forms that students need to fill out in order to get the maximum refund they are entitled to. In particular, she said that students should remember to bring in OSAP forms and their T220A form, which they can find online through banner.

You can find a full list of forms to bring, as well as information about what times the clinic is open here.