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The Daily OrangeWhitman | Students provide free tax service
By Dana Manochi
Posted: 2/21/08, 12:18 AM EST Section: News
As April 15 approaches, taxpayers around the country agonize about filling out forms and getting them in on time. But for people in the Syracuse area, there is a place to turn during the stressful time of year known as tax season.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a program run by students in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. VITA provides basic tax advice to SU students, faculty and staff as well as low-income residents who live in the vicinity of the university.
VITA began its services Monday and will continue through April 10 in the School of Management.
The majority of students volunteering their time are members of the professional service fraternity Beta Alpha Psi. Students in the fraternity are accounting, finance and IST majors in the Whitman School of Management who volunteer their time to the VITA program.
All student volunteers are certified by the IRS for basic tax return.
The students are stationed in the Grand Hall in Whitman where they complete tax returns for low-income families, said Shawn Paciotti, project coordinator for VITA and a junior in Whitman.
Volunteering also provides experience for students and a chance to apply what they have learned in the classroom, he said.
Mitchell Franklin, an assistant accounting professor in Whitman, is a faculty advisor for VITA.
"Taxes can be a scary thing," he said. "This program helps students and community members deal with their taxes."
He said the program allows students to interact with the community.
The student volunteers will be in the Grand Hall of the School of Management building every Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
dkmanoch@syr.edu
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a program run by students in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. VITA provides basic tax advice to SU students, faculty and staff as well as low-income residents who live in the vicinity of the university.
VITA began its services Monday and will continue through April 10 in the School of Management.
The majority of students volunteering their time are members of the professional service fraternity Beta Alpha Psi. Students in the fraternity are accounting, finance and IST majors in the Whitman School of Management who volunteer their time to the VITA program.
All student volunteers are certified by the IRS for basic tax return.
The students are stationed in the Grand Hall in Whitman where they complete tax returns for low-income families, said Shawn Paciotti, project coordinator for VITA and a junior in Whitman.
Volunteering also provides experience for students and a chance to apply what they have learned in the classroom, he said.
Mitchell Franklin, an assistant accounting professor in Whitman, is a faculty advisor for VITA.
"Taxes can be a scary thing," he said. "This program helps students and community members deal with their taxes."
He said the program allows students to interact with the community.
The student volunteers will be in the Grand Hall of the School of Management building every Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
dkmanoch@syr.edu
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