Accounting students offer income tax filing assistance

Feb. 6, 2007 - NC State University students, employees, and area community residents with an annual household income of $39,000 or below can receive free assistance with their income tax returns this year, beginning Feb. 10.

The service is being provided by accounting students in the university’s College of Management, working through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The VITA student volunteers will be available on a walk-in basis on three Saturdays in February: Feb. 10, 17 and 24, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Nelson Hall walk-in computer lab, located in the basement level of Nelson Hall.

Those requesting this service should bring all their 2006 income information, including W2 statements, plus Social Security cards for the primary person and any dependents being claimed on the tax return; and a picture ID for the primary tax filer. Last year’s tax return documents are also helpful.

The VITA program, in place for over 30 years, provides training and certification for volunteers, preparing them to complete basic income tax returns, said Marjorie Holmes with the Raleigh IRS office.

“We have about 15 student volunteers who have completed both the income tax class in our accounting curriculum and the VITA training,” said Ernest Carraway, accounting lecturer and coordinator of the student volunteers. “They are ready to provide this valuable service to the campus community.”