During upcoming "crunch" months, UB Law and Management students will be assisting the Economic Self Sufficiency Coalition (ESSC) with tax preparations for low-income residents of Buffalo and the Erie County region.
R. Nils Olsen, dean of the Law School, sees the program as beneficial to both the providers and the residents receiving the service.
"The university has recognized civic engagement as one of their strategic areas of excellence (in UB 2020), and this is a perfect example," Olsen said.
Students involved with the program will be placed as needed at one of the 15 ESSC sites throughout Buffalo. Management students will staff a site near South Campus.
"We really want to be good neighbors," said Cynthia Shore, assistant dean in the School of Management. "One of the areas that we want to be good neighbors on is the South Campus."
Near the South Campus site at the intersection of Bailey Avenue and Kensington Avenue, professional tax preparation services will be available at businesses where the interests of low-income persons are not normally first priority said shore, citing several examples.
"They will do a tax preparation and say, 'you probably need the money right away, how about if we give you a loan?' Those loans end up being like 20% interest or some other ridiculous amount," he said.
Faculty members overseeing the project expect a total of 200 participants from the UB community and hope the influx of new volunteers will allow for ESSC to increase its services to low-income families.
"Their goal this year is to do 7500 returns," Shore said, adding that she would make sure her own management students helped the ESSC to reach that goal.
In the process of doing these returns, volunteer preparers will help people find out if they qualify for a tax credit based on income, and how to apply for a break that could mean up to a $5,000 for those proving financial need.
"They get to explain to them the low-income tax credit and how it works," Olsen said.
The UB Accounting Association and Beta Alpha Psi, the UB accounting honor fraternity, are also helping to staff the sites with volunteers.
The volunteers from the School of Management's Beta Alpha Psi were recognized by the Internal Revenue Service for their Volunteer Income Tax (VITA) program, in which they would prepare tax returns for students and faculty on campus.
"For the second consecutive year the Zeta Theta chapter of Beta Alpha Psi was presented the recognition of outstanding community service and leadership award for their IRS VITA program," Shore said.
Lauren Breen, faculty member of the UB Law School and program chair, sees the program as a great opportunity for all involved.
"It's perfect - it's great," Breen said of the new volunteers.
Training has begun, but Shore said that anyone interested should contact the Law Services Clinic Office at 645-2167) as volunteer positions are still available.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
