The Village Enterprise Center at 25 Main Street in Chester is the new home base for the Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center.
CHESTER – The Hilltown Community Development Corporation, the Berkshire United Way and the Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center (SHAEC) have teamed up to provide free tax preparation to hilltown residents through the VITA Volunteer Tax Assistance Program. Assistance will be offered at the Village Enterprise Center (VEC), 26A Main St. in Chester, the Hilltown CDC, 387 Main Road in Chesterfield, and sites in Williamsburg.
Call 413-296-4536 ext. 100 for an appointment to see if you qualify, and for a list of needed documents. Day, evening and weekend appointments are available. Leave a message with your contact information and your choice of location. Household income must be $54,000 or less, with no self-employment or rental income.
For those who are self-employed or received a 1099M, a Small Business Tax Information session will be held on January 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the VEC in Chester, with a snow date of Feb. 13, and on Thursday, Feb. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hilltown CDC office in Chesterfield, with a snow date of Feb. 27.
Long-time accountant Dorine Lasky is offering small business tax help at the Village Enterprise Center in Chester. (Photo submitted)
Accountant Dorine Lasky will show you what expenses can be deducted to get the best refund possible, how to keep track of your income and expenses, and how to avoid paying tax penalties to the IRS. Receive step-by-step instructional training for all NEW 2018 tax forms. This class will help you file your own 2018 tax return or gather necessities for your personal tax accountant. Pre-registration is essential: Call 413-354-1055, or email [email protected] with your contact information, and choice of session/ location.
Need more help? Stop in to “Ask the Expert” for help with your Small Business Tax form on Friday March 8, 6-8 p.m. at the Village Enterprise Center in Chester, or on Wed., March 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hilltown CDC in Chesterfield.
Lasky will also answer small business tax questions, including what’s deductible, how to calculate depreciation, and what’s necessary to claim business use of your home or automobile. Please preregister for this tax help session by calling 413-354-1055, or email [email protected] with your contact information, and the session choice.
Gateway Hilltowns Economic Development Director Jeanne LeClair.
Other support for small businesses is also available at the Village Enterprise Center in Chester during the Biztro: Drop-in small business support sessions on selected Monday evenings, from 4 to 7 p.m., run by Hilltown Economic Development Director Jeanne LeClair.
“Need help with your business website? Want to talk about marketing & advertising? Just want to review your business plan? Got a great idea you just want to chat about? Stop by a business-bistro “Biztro” session anytime and get hands-on help with broad range of projects to make your small business flourish in the Hilltowns! If we don’t know the answer, we can figure it out together or connect you with more resources in the area,” says LeClair.
Biztro sessions will be held on the following Mondays from 4 to 7 p.m.:
January 28 / February 4 & 25 /March 11 & 25 / April 8 & 22 / May 6 & 20
No pre-registration is necessary to attend Biztro sessions.
All SHAEC classes are free for hilltown residents. SHAEC is a program of the UMass Labor Management Workplace Education Program and is funded by a Community Development Block Grant from the Mass Dept. of Housing and Community Development through the lead town of Russell, in partnership with Chester, Huntington, and Middlefield. SHAEC has been bringing quality adult education to the Southern Hilltowns since 1999.
