Tax without tears

March 24, 2016

Volunteer Nancy White helps people complete tax forms at Community Care North Hastings. TONY PEARSON Special to This Week
By Tony Pearson

Anyone who’s done their own taxes will have noticed how the forms get more and more complex and convoluted every year. It can be a recipe for sheer frustration. That is why professional help like online accountant service(s) (from reputed companies) may be required. Not only will these companies make sure that everything is correct and above board, they will also save you so much time as well. Think of all the different fun activities you could be doing instead of filing your own taxes. Honestly, assistance from experts, like these Top accounting firms toronto has to offer, could make life much easier!

But what if you can’t afford an accountant to make sense of it all?

Community Care North Hastings has an answer for some people: their own tax helpers. These are volunteers who have gone through CCNH training, using materials provided by the Canada Revenue Agency, and can use electronic filing systems to get the forms done for those who qualify.

Those who qualify are single people with under $30,000 in revenue, and couples with under $40,000. The CCNH service can do the current year’s tax calculations for such people, provided they had no estate issues (for example, from the death of a partner), who are not self-employed and do not have business, rental, or capital gains income, and who have not gone bankrupt.

Given that the helpers are volunteers, there are no fees to pay. And these volunteers have a lot of experience. For example, Glenn Inglis, a retired high school teacher, has been handling people’s tax returns for 15 years. Nancy White, who is new to Bancroft, has been doing returns at CCNH for only two years, but has a background in banking and accounting.

Inglis explains the motivation for his long service succinctly: “I do it because the people we serve need and deserve our help.”

He notes that we often forget how many people don’t have a personal computer, and would be strapped paying fees to a tax agency.
White says the work is for people who like to help people, or like working with numbers. “Fortunately, I like both,” she states, adding that people really appreciate the service.

The program runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at CCNH on Manor Lane. You can phone CCNH at 613-332-4700 for an appointment.

Of course, CCNH is always looking for new volunteers. If you’re interested, call the CCNH as well.