Gathering in a small room on the third floor of Ackerman Union,
student volunteers willingly sacrifice basking in the sun to help
fellow students and community members file their taxes.
Students at UCLA can rely on the student-coordinated Volunteer
Income Tax Assistant Organization on campus while tackling their
tax returns.
VITA, a national effort operated in conjunction with the
Internal Revenue Service and sponsored on campus by the UCLA
Anderson School of Management’s undergraduate Minor in
Accounting program, provides free assistance in filing federal and
state tax returns to UCLA students and community members.
Training most of winter quarter with IRS professionals,
approximately 200 now-IRS certified student volunteers will be
available to provide tax services to fellow students and the
homeless between now and April 15, when taxes are officially
due.
Growing dramatically in the number of student volunteers and tax
returns completed, VITA at UCLA hopes to exceed over 1,000 tax
returns this year, said Mike Hsu, a third-year business and
economics student who is also president of the program.
In the past, UCLA’s VITA placed a strong emphasis on
providing services to minorities and low-income individuals, but
this year the organization is shifting its emphasis to UCLA
students, though it will continue to help out the homeless as
well.
Utilizing the service may be very beneficial to those unaware of
certain ways in which money can be saved, said Hsu, referring to
educational credits that help independent students who are paying
tuition save money.
“We can try to help students minimize tax liability
““ that we will try our best to do,” Hsu said.
Taking an average of 15 minutes for each tax return, students
simply go to Ackerman 3517 with their W2, 1098, 1099 forms and all
other tax-related documents, and VITA volunteers provide all other
needed forms.
UCLA VITA volunteers will also be available at People Assisting
the Homeless, a homeless site in Los Angeles.
Unlike most tax service companies, VITA is free; however, it
cannot assist international students or individuals with incomes
over $35,000.
Those in charge say mistakes, especially feared when dealing
with the IRS, should not concern students seeking this student-run
service.
“Should we make a mistake, the taxpayer is not personally
liable for the penalties,” Hsu said, explaining that the tax
forms indicate that the return was prepared by a VITA
volunteer.
Hsu also said that so far, the organization has been doing
pretty well on keeping mistakes to a minimum.
All students enrolled in UCLA, regardless of major, are eligible
to sign up for the program and can become a VITA volunteer after
completing four out of eight training sessions and passing a
qualifying exam. No experience is necessary.
“Most people come here (to sign up for the organization)
because they want to help the community and are interested in how
taxes work,” Hsu said. “One of our goals is to help
them and help them learn more about the tax system.”
Student volunteers are very pleased with the organization and
its services to the volunteers.
“It is a good volunteer opportunity and good for resume
building ““ it’s good for others and it’s good for
me,” said Kiersten Fletcher, a second-year business and
economics student.
Praising the program for being both “personally and
professionally” beneficial, Fletcher said something the
organization should strive for next time is to make the training
sessions more interesting.
Equally pleased are the individuals who are utilizing the
service, providing nothing short of positive feedback.
Erin Marnocha, a graduate student in ecology and evolutionary
biology, has used the service twice and said she plans to use it
again in the future.
“They’ve been good. They try very hard and are very
dedicated to what they are doing,” Marnocha said, adding that
it is worthwhile.
First-time user Theresa Hastert, a public affairs graduate
student, agreed with its convenience.
“They had my headaches for me,” Hastert said.
VITA will be in Ackerman Union 3517 from April 6 to April 15
(excluding weekends) from 12 to 6 p.m. and at People Assisting the
Homeless at 2346 Cotner Ave. on April 6, 11 and 13 from 7 to 10
p.m.