As students deal with test deadlines and paper due dates, one dreaded deadline approaches that any student who works winces in anticipation: April 15, the income tax filing deadline.
The idea of tabulating refunds, claims and deductions is daunting for every major, from English to physics. Many students seek help despite the cost.
"Last year I had someone do my taxes because I didn't know how," Rachel Tomidy, a freshman undecided major, said. "I paid $30, which is ridiculous when you're only getting a small amount back from a minimum-wage job."
For students in similar position, a group of students on campus can help. The School of Management's academic fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi is an international organization with members willing to assist others in their income tax preparation. The program is called Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and is a free service to everyone.
"The fraternity is made up of accounting, finance, and management information systems students," said the organization's faculty advisor Alex Ampadu, a professor in the accounting and law department, and he said these students have experience in helping people prepare taxes.
"This service applies to almost everyone," accounting major Tim Hilker said. "Anyone who works qualifies to get help in getting the refund they deserve."
The program, which the fraternity has been providing for eight years, is expecting to help at least 100 students with their taxes. Beta Alpha Psi has more than enough members to provide the assistance to go around.
"There are 85 members in our fraternity this year. They all have an eight-hour service credit to fulfill," said Navdeep Parihar, a senior accounting major and president of Beta Alpha Psi.
Many of these members have been trained in how to properly file income taxes at workshops, including one run by the chair of the accounting department at Niagara University. Several others have taken a class on taxes, and everyone has had first-hand experience with Tax-Wise, the IRS sponsored and certified computer-filing program. All assistants must pass an online certification test administered by the IRS.
"I have had 16 hours of training directly with the IRS and have recently certified other members in the same training," Hilker, chair of this year's VITA program, said.
Students who come in with their W-2's and Social Security card will be assisted by a group of two or three volunteers, at least one of who will have experience filing from previous years.
"An interview intake sheet has straight-forward, guided questions that will give us 99 percent of what we need to know to file your taxes," Hilker said. "If we need to fill out more forms than the 1040, we will discuss them and fill them out for you to make sure everything is done right. Many people don't know that if you pay tuition out of pocket, you are entitled to an extra education credit deductible."
Furthermore, all taxes filed through the VITA system will go through a quality review before being electronically filed, to ensure that all information is complete and correct.
"My advice to students is to never guess on your taxes.If you don't know something, ask someone with experience," said Parihar.
Tomidy said she would most definitely be seeking out assistance from Beta Alpha Psi.
"I'll need to ask for help because since I used to work at my other college, USF, I have to file both New York and Florida forms, and they're different," said Tomidy, "I don't want to mess up."
Amy Ferreby, a senior accounting major and vice president of Beta Alpha Psi, advised students who want to be responsible for managing their own tax forms to educate themselves about the process.
"Look up how to file your taxes from IRS publications," Ferreby said. "Forms are updated every year, so do some research. The sooner you file, the sooner you get your refund. Returns are guaranteed in just two weeks after filing with VITA."
The organization will be having special weekend sessions to aid anxious students on Feb. 18 and 19, March 4, 5, 25, and 26, and April 8 and 9. Members of Beta Alpha Psi will also be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day in 143 Park Hall, and welcome everyone whether they come with a tax return to file or a quick question.
"There are absolutely no hidden fees. We are doing this voluntarily," said Ferreb. "Several members are accounting majors and all are juniors or seniors, so they know about taxes."
Members of the fraternity say they're not just doing the job because they have to, but because they like to as well.
"We're nerds for this kind of stuff," Colby said.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
