VITA Lab Offers Tax Help to Community

PROVO, Utah – Jan 28, 2016 – With Brigham Young University accounting students to help, your taxes don’t have to be the stress of the season.

Through the Beta Alpha Psi organization, IRS-certified student volunteers from the BYU School of Accountancy provide free tax assistance to those in the community who make less than $53,000 per year. BYU’s chapter of the national Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program generates more than 1,500 tax returns in a single season, making it the largest VITA site in the country.

“VITA is designed to provide a free tax return preparation service for lower income members of the community who may not otherwise be able to afford to have their tax return prepared,” says Brian Spilker, BYU School of Accountancy professor and VITA lab adviser. “The program also benefits the student volunteers who get the opportunity to serve others while developing leadership abilities and gaining experience preparing tax returns.”

Nearly 200 students will volunteer in the VITA lab this year, which runs from February 1–March 26 in room W139 of the Tanner Building. Those interested in utilizing the services provided by BYU’s VITA program must visit their website to schedule an appointment up to one week in advance. There is limited availability and appointments fill quickly, so registration is required. Appointment hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. For the first time, the program is also offering Saturday appointment slots from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ryan Smith, a senior accounting student from Fresno, California, who serves as VITA site coordinator, sees firsthand how valuable the program can be not only for community members but also for students who offer their service.

“It’s incredible to see more than 180 students signing up to take time out of their busy schedules to serve their fellow students and other members of the community,” Smith says. “A lot of students that volunteer are already taking a tax class in the junior core, so this is an opportunity for them to apply what they are learning in a real-life setting. The things they learn in the classroom and the lab go hand in hand.”

Whether or not community members are able to take advantage of the lab’s services, BYU offers a variety of free online tax filing services at their website. For questions about VITA, contact them here.

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and public management. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,300 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.