GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County Department of Job and Family Services has teamed up with Gallipolis Career College to offer tax preparation to the public.

GCDJFS Supervisor Fred Childers said the agency wanted to concentrate on the tax side of The Benefit Bank to offer additional services to clients.

GCDJFS is offering the space, while GCC is providing the manpower.

“Obviously, with (the size) of our staff, there’s no way we can do it,” said GCDJFS Director Dana Glassburn. “We don’t get funding for it. We’re trying to take advantage of what we do have. We have some available offices because of our situation and utilizing those offices to benefit the citizens of Gallia County is our goal.”

In August 2009, GCDJFS layed off approximately 40 percent of its office staff due to budget cuts.

Students of GCC have volunteered their time to serve as tax preparers for the program. Most of the students are accounting majors and GCC Director of Admissions Bo Shirey said the experience will give students a real world application of what they’ve learned in their respective programs.

“It’s going to prepare them for the job market,” said Shirey. “And hopefully open their eyes to public service.”

Students attended training at GCDJFS offered through The Benefit Bank.

The tax clinics are held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday at the GCDJFS office located at 848 Third Avenue, Gallipolis. Appointments are walk-in, however, the department reserves the right to reschedule appointments for another day and time should it be necessary.

Residents will need to bring in:

• Identification

• Social security numbers for filer and dependents

• W-2s and 1099s

• Information about other income like interest income

• Deduction and credit information such as child care expenses

• Copy of previous year’s tax return if one was filed

The household income must be $57,000 or less and have no itemization to file through The Benefit Bank.

Glassburn said partnering with GCC to allow them to provide the service to residents will not only help GCDJFS clients and the general public but also GCC students.

Refunds, Glassburn said, are usually being processed within a week.

Glassburn said they were not in competition with other businesses and organizations, and are just trying to catch the people who may be falling through the cracks.