Kevin Coriolan | News Editor
This semester, students from the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business are providing free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The new program at Buena Vista University (BVU) is helping community members of Storm Lake, IA, and is off to a good start.
VITA is a national program of the Internal Revenue Service that helps complete the annual tax returns of low and moderate-income taxpayers at no charge. The free tax assistance generally is available to people who earn $52,000 or less and who need assistance preparing their returns. Founded in 1971, VITA hits two birds with one stone by providing income tax assistance to the community while also lending experience to fresh accountants.
“It gives experience to accounting majors because it’s a benefit to the community but also a benefit to us students who get to practice preparing tax returns,” said senior accounting major Estefany González.
The volunteers advise taxpayers about the tax credits for which they may qualify. These include earned income tax credit, child tax credit, and credit for the elderly or the disabled. In other areas of the country, VITA sites can be found at community centers, libraries, schools, and shopping malls.
González is a volunteer for VITA and has only missed one of the many VITA workshop sessions in the month of February. She has also been engaged in the VITA program by being the academic assistant of Associate Professor of Accounting Beth Blankers who is advising the program.
Blankers has been a large part of the program’s organization after the Storm Lake Central Bank provided financial assistance to get VITA rolling. Central Bank will also participate in income tax assistance on Tuesday, March 18 and Tuesday, April 1 on Lake Avenue.
Other faculty and staff involved with VITA include Professor of Accounting Sue Cullers, Professor of Economics Stan Ullerich, and Secretary of the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business Cindy McDonough.
Student volunteers receive two college credits by attending a certain number of hours throughout the tax season. They are also IRS-certified in tax law. Spanish interpreters are available by request.
“I think it really provides extra practice for me because in my future job I will potentially be completing tax returns. Also, I think it’s important because I feel like I’m giving back to the community,” González said.
She also believes it is important to nurture that tie between the community and BVU.
VITA is open to all BVU employees on Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 19 regardless of income level.
During the filing season of 2013, almost 92,000 people volunteered with VITA and prepared over 3.3 million returns across the country. Training for VITA volunteers is offered both online and in the classroom.
Those wishing to receive income tax assistance may call 712-749-2410 to schedule an appointment.
