IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center (VITA)

It's tax-time. Those words precipitate groans from the average American. However, for low-income earners, the phrase can be downright ominous. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program was established by the Internal Revenue Service to help low-income earners complete their tax forms. Our accounting faculty spent much time preparing undergraduates as VITA volunteers. The training, which begins in November and continues through April, includes instructing students on how to use TaxWise, a software program, and how to prepare the various forms. Since its inception in 1980, the program has grown to include more than 100 volunteers every year.

The VITA program requires that students complete an open-book qualifying examination before assisting with the returns.