Free tax assistance available Saturdays in Pomona

POMONA - Starting Saturday, area residents earning about $40,000 a year or less will find free tax help at the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center and the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley.

Tax assistance will be available Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until April 11, according to a statement from Cal Poly Pomona.

People can access help completing tax returns and can have their returns filed electronically at no cost.

The service is available to low income families, senior citizens and non-English speaking people who are legal residents.

A team of 40 Cal Poly Pomona students has undergone extensive training and testing before offering services to tax payers as part if a service learning course.

Students were prepared by Bill Foley, an accounting professor who is both a certified public accountant and a lawyer.

Assistance in Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese is available.

People seeking the students' assistance should bring the following materials with them:
- photo identification and Social Security cards or taxpayer identification numbers for filers their spouses and dependents
- If available, this year's tax package along with W-2 Forms and 1099 Forms
- information on any other income, expenses, bank accounts or other financial documents
- a copy of the 2007 tax return is recommended

Assistance will be available on a walk-in basis from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Pomona Valley, 1420 Garey Ave.

Walk-ins will be taken from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center, 300 W. Second St. People will be seen by appointment from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Downtown Center.