Frequently Asked Questions
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Toggle ItemWhere is the VITA lab located and what are its hours?Location and schedule information can be found at the bottom of each page on this website.
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Toggle ItemDo I need an appointment to use VITA?It depends; please read the details on the home page.
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Toggle ItemWhat services can BYU VITA not provide?BYU VITA does not perform the following services:
- Returns with sales of cryptocurrency (purchases are OK)
- Amended returns and previous year returns
- Nonresident returns (Form 1040NR) - please see the BYU International Lab
- Dual Status Alien elections
- Schedule C with loss, depreciation or business use of home, inventory, employees, contract labor, expenses over $35,000, or use of actual car expenses such as gas
- Complicated Schedule D (capital gains and losses)
- Rental Income
- Schedule K-1
- 1099-R Box 7 Distributions Codes of 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, A, B, D, E, J, K, N, P, R, T, U, W
- Foreign income (Foreign Tax Credit/Foreign Earned Income Exclusion)
- 1099-Q Taxable Distributions (Box 1 distributions exceeds qualified education expenses for the year)
- 1095-A shared policy allocation - if your 1095-A has individuals listed on it that are not on your return or you are listed on another person’s 1095-A and not a dependent on their return
- HSA excess contributions not withdrawn by the due date of the return
- Non-cash charitable contributions greater than $500
- 1099-K not related to self-employment income
For a more complete list of out-of-scope services, see the Scope of Services page.
If you have any questions about out-of-scope services, please email vita.byu@gmail.com. Please see a professional preparer for assistance with complicated returns. -
Toggle ItemDo my spouse and/or dependents need to be present in the VITA lab?Any person signing the tax return needs to be present during the return preparation and review process. In other words, if you are filing under Married Filing Jointly, both you and your spouse need to be present for us to file your taxes.
You will need to bring Social Security cards for any person whose name is appearing on the tax return as a spouse or dependent; however, dependents do not need to be present for us to complete your return. -
Toggle ItemWhat if I don't have access to my Social Security card?The IRS requires us to verify each taxpayer's identity using their Social Security card. If you don't have access to your physical Social Security card, a copy (either paper or electronic) will suffice. If you have neither your physical card nor a copy, the only acceptable substitutes for a Social Security card are the following:
- A letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA),
- Form SSA-1099
- Any other verification issued from the SSA
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Toggle ItemDo I need to bring physical (paper) copies of my tax forms?No—digital documents are OK; however, it will make our services go faster if you bring in paper copies of your wage and earning statements (e.g. W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc).
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Toggle ItemWhat if my tax return gets audited?By using VITA services, you are completely responsible and liable for anything that goes on your return, which means that VITA will not help with audited returns. You are responsible for keeping a copy of your return and any tax documents related to your return and the IRS suggests you keep copies for 7 years. Most audits are done within 3 years of a previous return, but the IRS can add more time.
The most common audit we get in our lab is for the American Opportunity Credit. YOU MUST HAVE AN OFFICIAL 1098-T IN ORDER TO CLAIM THIS CREDIT. Also ensure that you have the appropriate calculation for your books/required materials purchased for this tax year. -
Toggle ItemWhat if my address has changed since the last time I filed taxes?If your address has changed since you filed your taxes, you will need to inform the IRS so you can receive any correspondence from them. Look up “IRS Change of Address” on the internet to learn how.
Because you need to be able to receive correspondence from the IRS for up to 6 years after your return, it is best if you can use a permanent address when filing your taxes. -
Toggle ItemHow long will it take to get my refund?Because we e-File in our lab, refunds will take 3-4 weeks to get to you. Filing early in the tax season and/or if you choosing to do direct deposit can help your refund arrive faster.
Once your return has been accepted by the IRS, we aren't able to see where your refund is. If you would like to track your refund, please go to www.irs.gov/refunds. You will need your social security number/ITIN, filing status, and the exact refund amount (which can be found on your Form 1040). -
Toggle ItemHow can I pay if I owe taxes and by when do I need to pay them?If you owe federal taxes and want the money taken directly out of your bank account, you will have the ability to choose what day you want it to be withdrawn. Some states allow a direct debit, but others do not. All taxes must be paid by the current year's tax day! (April 18th, 2023)
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Toggle ItemCan BYU VITA provide me with a return they filed for me in the past?BYU VITA does NOT keep prior-year returns. It is your responsibility to keep your copy of your returns that are done in our lab.
The IRS suggests you keep a copy of your return and any supplemental documents for seven years.
If you need a copy of a previous years’ return, please visit the IRS Transcript Tool. You can either order transcripts online or by mail. Transcripts online come in 5-10 business days and mailed transcripts come in 30 business days.
To order online, you will need:- your SSN, date of birth, filing status, and mailing address from the latest tax return,
- access to your email account,
- your personal number from a credit card, mortgage, home equity loan, home equity line of credit or car loan, and
- a mobile phone with your name on the account
To order by mail, you will need:- SSN or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN),
- date of birth, and
- mailing address from your latest tax return
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Toggle ItemWhere can I get my taxes filed for free if my income is greater than the VITA cutoff?If you make too much to use VITA services or have items that are out of scope, you may still qualify to use one of these IRS-endorsed free tax return services.
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Toggle ItemWhat should I do if I witness unethical or discriminatory behavior in the VITA lab?If you see any unethical or discriminatory behavior in the BYU VITA lab, you can either report it to the BYU VITA Admin by emailing vita.byu@gmail.com, or for more serious offenses, reach out directly to the IRS using the following emails:
- For unethical behavior: wi.voltax@irs.gov
- For discriminatory behavior: eeo.external.civil.rights@irs.gov