Tax assistance available for CVRF Region residents

Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) has partnered again this year with the Alaska Business Development Center (ABDC) to provide tax return assistance to residents of the CVRF region through ABCD’s volunteer tax and loan program.

This is the 12th consecutive year that CVRF has provided tax assistance to the region in partnership with ABDC. CVRF provides funding for volunteer tax preparers to travel to each of CVRF’s 20 member communities to assist with the preparation of people’s tax returns. CVRF’s local staff help to coordinate the volunteers’ stay in the communities and often times lodging is provided at CVRF’s Community Service Centers.

In 2016, the program led to over $3.1 million in refunds and 2,177 completed returns. Other sponsors for the volunteer tax and loan program include the Alaska Division of Economic Development, Denali Bank, GCI, Key Bank, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and Wells Fargo.

Tax preparers have already visited the communities of Chevak, Eek, Hooper Bay, Mekoryuk, Napaskiak, Scammon Bay, and Toksook Bay.

Additionally, services are available to region residents through ABDC’s mail-in site. Interested residents are encouraged to visit www.abdc.org/taxforms for more information about the mail-in program.

“Thank you to CVRF for the opportunity to get my taxes done in the comfort of my own village with the assistance of ABDC,” said Shara Davis of Mekoryuk. “The tax assistance program was quick, easy and well worth the participation.”