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VITA helps students with tax aid, gives chance to learn
Students learn how to handle their taxes in a responsible, reasonable manner
Thanks to the Accounting Club there is aid for people who need help doing their taxes. Last Tuesday and Wednesday in the Atwood Memorial Center, Accounting Club members helped the community with their taxes from 6-8:00 p.m.
These members became part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) group when they signed up to give people a hand with their taxes.
The Accounting Club volunteers met with an IRS employee who came to give them tips, offer advice and train them on how to deal with special student deductions. The service is offered mainly to low income community members, students and faculty.
All of the papers, packets and booklets needed were located in the Lotus Room for completing both state and federal taxes. However, which forms to use differs according to each individual.
"There's different forms for students depending on their circumstances. It depends on their income, if they're married and who can claim them," said Jennifer Cummings, the VITA Coordinator and organizer of the event.
The only thing people need to supply on their own is their W-2s, which they should have received in the mail.
After gathering the proper forms, a volunteer sits down with the student, whips out their calculator and scratch paper and shows them how it's done. But people who have the impression that they can just sit back and do nothing would be mistaken.
"We don't just do their taxes for them. They have to follow along and answer all of the questions being asked," said Gail Tamp, a senior volunteer.
The process takes some time depending on each person's situation. Several students were in the Iris Room for almost a half an hour, but many were out in fifteen minutes or less.
Regardless, taking advantage of what the Accounting Club is offering is well worth everyone's time. Students get their taxes done and volunteers get hours on their transcripts and a good experience.
"It's fast, it's interesting and it actually gives real life experience," said Nicole Storkamp, a volunteer. Cummings also commented on the experience.
"We've had quite a bit of international students come in. They're the hardest ones just because we've never had any exposure to their papers before, but we've learned a lot from it," Cummings said.
Besides giving volunteers a valuable learning experience, VITA brings much needed recognition to the Accounting Club as a whole.
"I think this year people are starting to hopefully be a little bit more aware of what we're offering, especially because it's on campus," Cummings said. "Not many people know anything about the Accounting Club or that we do anything at all. It's not about just a bunch of nerds getting together and counting beans."
If students were not aware of VITA before and still wish to get help with their taxes, more dates are coming up. Next week, on March 24, 26 and 27, people can go to the Iris/Lotus Rooms in the Atwood Memorial Center from 6-8:00 p.m. There are also many dates in April that people can take advantage of. Although there is help offered up until the last minute, students are encouraged not to wait that long.
"It's slow at first, but it gets busier around the tax deadline, which is April 15," Tamp said.
The official VITA schedule is available online under "events" on the SCSU homepage and there is also contact information available. For details on the Accounting Club itself, students can go to their Web site http://studentorg.stcloudstate.edu/ acct. club, and for information on the Accounting department in general, people can contact their office at 320-255-3038.
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