Taxing Work Gives Back
The VITA program provides free income tax preparation assistance to people who are lower-income, persons with disabilities, and others. Nineteen BVU students volunteer with the program.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a nationwide program, funded by the Internal Revenue Service, that provides free income tax preparation assistance to people who are lower-income, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and limited English-speaking taxpayers.
This spring, 19 BVU students volunteer with the program at two locations, one in Storm Lake and one in Cherokee.
The VITA program was first started at Buena Vista by Dr. Margaret Redenbaugh, associate professor emeritus of accounting, and gave students who were involved the opportunity to gain experience by providing tax preparation assistance.
Upon Redenbaugh's retirement, the VITA program became dormant, and it has recently returned to BVU. Beth Blankers, associate professor of accounting, is the site coordinator for the VITA initiative at BVU, which is beginning its second year. Last year, the program was offered in two Storm Lake locations, and fourteen BVU students, two BVU faculty, one BVU staff member, and four Central Bank employees participated as certified volunteers in the program. The volunteers assisted 104 clients and filed 98 tax returns, 95 of which were low income returns.
"Students are able to take what they have learned in the classroom and use it to make a difference in the community," says Blankers. "It is real-world, hands-on experience and fits with the business program's focus on experiential learning and 'doing business'."
Students are involved in every aspect of the VITA process. They complete IRS ethics and tax law training to become certified volunteers. At the tax appointments, students interview the clients, prepare the returns, quality review other students' returns, and close with the clients.
"One experience that has given me a foundation for my career is the VITA program," says Stephanie Hayden, a senior accounting and sports management major from Prairie City. "Participating in this program has helped me apply the knowledge that I have learned in the classroom to real word situations. It has allowed me to physically prepare an actual tax return and help those who are in need, which is always a satisfying experience."