Tax assistance offered in San Luis, Somerton and Yuma

With the approach of income tax season, volunteers are available to help Yuma County residents prepare their returns.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program has established sites in San Luis, Ariz., Somerton and Yuma to provide free help to elderly and low- and moderate-income residents.

Araceli De la Hoya, coordinator of the VITA program in San Luis, said volunteers have been trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service.

“It's a service that has been provided to the community for more than 20 years, and the public can have faith that their taxes will be well prepared and that they will get good advice” from volunteers.

In San Luis alone, the VITA program serves nearly 500 people each year, she said.

In San Luis, the VITA site has moved to the building that formerly housed the city's finance department, 785 S. 1st Ave., near the San Luis Municipal Court. Hours are Mondays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In Somerton, the VITA site at 663 E. Main St. is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

In Yuma, there are two VITA sites: at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 300 S. 13th St., Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and at the Western Arizona Council of Governments headquarters, 224 S. 3rd Ave., Tuesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information, call 246-8133.