Effective immediately, walk-in services at West Virginia State Tax Department locations across the state are being scaled back because of budgetary and staffing constraints.
As a part of the re-configuration of walk-in services, tax department employees will no longer be permitted to prepare state tax returns for walk-in customers.
Services for walk-ins at all regional locations are now limited to:
- Accepting completed tax returns along with any payments due.
- Preparing vouchers for taxpayers and accepting billing payments.
- Resolving issues regarding letters received by taxpayers.
- Providing Letters of Good Standing to taxpayers.
- Providing both the state’s Personal Income Tax and Business Registration booklets in hard copy.
- Issuing new and duplicate Business Registration Certificates.
Those taxpayers seeking help on their Personal Income Tax returns do have options for free tax preparation through a number of nonprofit organizations such as VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly). In West Virginia these IRS-sanctioned programs are provided through the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families, United Way and AARP. For a list of options, go to http://tax.wv.gov/Individuals/WalkInServices/Pages/WalkInServices.aspx
Tax Commissioner Dale W. Steager said budgetary constraints drove the decision to limit walk-in services.
“Regardless of how we got here, we truly believe taxpayers will be better served by having one of these organizations prepare their returns,” Steager said.