It’s that time of year again, and in an effort to make things a little easier on local families, the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is up and running in Lawrence County.

From now until April 17, moderate and low-income families earning less than $50,000 can get their income taxes prepared for free at one of two locations in the county.

Crews of volunteer workers will be available at the Workforce Development Resource Center in Ironton and Ohio University Southern’s Proctorville campus.

“It’s a fabulous program to take advantage of,” Eva Christian, marketing director for the WDRC, said. “The people who are doing the taxes are IRS trained and certified.”

Christian said the service has been successful in the past and Tuesday the volunteers at the WDRC helped about 20 people prepare their taxes.

At the WDRC, services are available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 4, March 3 and April 7 only.

At the OUS Proctorville center, services are available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays.

No appointment is necessary, Christian said, but there are important documents that everyone must bring.

Those documents are a photo ID, Social Security cards for all members of the household and wage and earning statements for 2011 that may include a W2, W2G, 1099R or 1099.

Christian said anyone with questions about documentation or the VITA program can call the WDRC 532-3140. The Proctorville center’s number is 547-3825.