Mission College Offers Personal Tax Help

Mission College for the third year will offer free tax advice at its Tax Assistance Center beginning Saturday.

Personal state and federal tax forms for 1997 will be taken between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays until April 15 .

Appointments are not required and the service is available to anyone, said Stan Chow, center director and a Mission business professor.

The assistance program began two years ago with 10 business students who volunteered to process forms for local residents. Last year, the center processed more than 500 tax documents.

“We started the center two years ago to help the people in our community who may lack transportation to other areas, and to give our specially trained business students the experience of filling out personal income tax forms,” Chow said.

Chow said the students providing advice have all finished a 40-hour course given by the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Business taxes are not included in the program, but assistance with all types of personal income tax is available.

The Tax Assistance Center works in conjunction with the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The center is located in the south atrium of the college’s instructional building at 13356 Eldridge Ave., Van Nuys.