Income Tax Clinics

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) is a collaboration between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and community organizations, such as Kitsilano Neighbourhood House.

Volunteers will complete and submit tax returns for Westside residents with a modest income and a simple tax situation as outlined in the program criteria below.

The Kits House Tax Clinics run during tax season in March & April each year. Book a time for a Friday to drop your papers off in the Kits House lobby. The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) tax preparation volunteer will connect by phone to arrange a time to complete your tax return in the week following drop off of papers.

Note that it is a volunteer that will be completing the tax return, and not a tax specialist or accountant. Please respect our Volunteers & Staff

Rudeness or disrespect towards volunteers or staff members will not be tolerated and will result in you being asked to make alternate arrangements to have your taxes prepared.

The Kits House tax prep volunteers are happy to complete your tax return for you, however they are not in a position to give tax advice.

Tax advice is not a service we offer with this program. If you need tax advice, or have a question about your tax return that you prepared or had another person prepare, visit the Contact page on the CRA website – Step 2 contains a list of contact numbers depending on what you are calling about.

Tax returns are uploaded electronically. Once submitted/uploaded to CRA changes cannot be made to your return by the tax prep volunteer – you would need to contact CRA for changes to submitted tax returns.

Kits House does not keep any of personal information once your tax return has been uploaded and your papers have been mailed back to you.

What you need to do to have your taxes done by a KNH volunteer

• Email faithg@kitshouse.org or call 604 736-3588 Ext 124 if you would like to arrange for your taxes to be prepared by one of our amazing tax prep volunteers.
• Scheduled drop-off times are set up in 5-minute time slots on Fridays in March & April, during tax season. A KNH volunteer will call you to book your drop-off time.
• Sort all of your papers, and tally your receipts prior to dropping off
• Put your tax papers into a Ziplock bag clearly labelled with your name and phone number. If we can’t read your phone number, we won’t be able to call you!
• Include a self-addressed stamped envelope – your tax papers will be mailed back to your home address once your taxes have been done.
• A tax prep volunteer will call you on the number you provide to arrange a time to do your tax return with you over the phone in the week following drop off of papers.

Criteria for Tax Program

About Free Tax Clinics

     Eligibility Criteria

• Single person up to $35,000
• Two people up to $45,000
• Three people up to $47,500 (add $2,500 for each additional child)
• Tax returns for the current year only
• Drop off to Kits House on Friday during prearranged drop off time (Fridays)
• You are a resident living on the Westside of Vancouver.

     Returns that do not qualify 

• self-employment income or employment expenses * (see Exception 1)
• business income and expenses
• rental income and expenses
• interest income over $1,000
• capital gains or losses
• bankruptcy in the tax year (or the year before, if that return has not yet been filed)
• deceased person
• foreign property (T1135)
• foreign income ** (see Exception 2)

*Exception 1:

Individuals who have a T4A slip, Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income, that shows self-employed or business in box 048 may be eligible to have their tax return completed through the CVITP if all of the following conditions are met:

• the total income in box 048 is under $1,000
• no expenses are claimed
• the individual is not registered as a GST/HST registrant and is not required to be one

**Exception 2:

Individuals who receive U.S. Social Security benefits are eligible to have their tax return completed through the CVITP. Any other type of foreign income (including a foreign pension) would not be considered a simple tax situation.

Cost

Free for residents living on the West Side of Vancouver with a valid Kits House Membership

Booking a Tax Appointment

Email faithg@kitshouse.org (best) or call Kits House at 604.736.3588 Ext 124 to leave a message with your name and phone number and requesting to booking your appointment to drop off your tax papers. A volunteer will be in touch with you with further information about when to bring your papers and where to drop them off.