The University has joined with the Internal Revenue Service this year to help students do something they don’t always do well — their taxes.
University officials have formed a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program — designed to assist low-income groups — to prepare students’ federal and state tax-return forms. Filing a tax return makes it possible for a worker to receive a refund of money taken out of his or her paycheck for government taxes in the past year.
Unmarried persons whose parents support them and who earned more than $800 this past year should file a tax return, according the IRS Web site.
The site also says any potential taxpayer, despite the amount of income they earned last year, should file a return if they paid any government taxes.
Students who would like to take advantage of VITA’s services should bring their social security card, a photo ID such as a driver license or student ID and their W-2 forms. Students who paid part of their own tuition this past year should also bring their 1098-T form.
Sheri Thompson, assistant to the vice provost of Academic Affairs and co-coordinator of VITA, said students should take advantage of this opportunity instead of going to a tax preparer or filing their taxes themselves.
“We wanted to make sure our folks weren’t going to go to some fly-by-night where they would get loans on their refunds,” she said. “We wanted to make sure instead that they were getting their refunds back through a timely manner by filing online.”
VITA’s volunteers are University members who have been through training and are certified by the IRS, Thompson said.
Thompson said the most common mistake students make when they file taxes themselves is to not mark themselves as a dependent of their parents.
Students whose parents support them should not claim themselves on their taxes because their parents still can. When a student improperly claims himself, it prevents his parents from being able to claim the student and get their deduction.
Many students said their parents file their taxes for them.
Britton Drumm, a general studies senior, said her dad filed her taxes last year for her. She also said she has a friend that does all of her friends’ taxes online.
She said the idea of a service that would help her prepare her taxes was encouraging.
“I’m sure it will make it a lot easier for my parents and my group of friends,” Drumm said.
Last year Martin Shaw, a history senior, went to a tax preparer to file his taxes. He was excited about the idea of a tax preparation program on campus.
“There’s no fee,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to just walk over there.”
Tax preparation services will be available for students until April 14 in the Facilities Services cafeteria on Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.