With the tax deadline inching closer, free income tax assistance is offered to students and the local community who are on low-income this year at Nicholls through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. The VITA program, offered by the accounting department, and sponsored by the Accounting Club and Beta Alpha Psi, will be active until the Internal Revenue Service deadline of April 15.

“(The program) is definitely very good, it provides a service to the community and assistance to people who just simply cannot afford to have their tax papers prepared. Sometimes it may take $40-$60 to have them prepared,” Dr. Michael Chiasson, associate professor of accounting, said.

The VITA office, Powell 314, will be opened on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:45 a.m. until 2 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Fridays 11:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Nighttime hours are scheduled from 8-8:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, and from 6 p.m. until 8:30 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Appointments can also be made by calling 448-4176.

Students should bring their social security cards, wage and earnings statements (W-2) from all jobs, interest statements and dividend statements from banks (Form 1099-INT and/or Form 1099-DIV), a copy of last year’s tax return if available and other important information about income and expenses.

The program, sponsored by the IRS, was created not only to help students with low income, but also those who are not familiar with taxes, Chiasson said.

“VITA is great, I believe it is the ultimate way for students and community members to get their tax return papers prepared without having to pay for it and without having to know anything about taxes,” he said.

Chiasson and Dr. Karen Foust, assistant professor of accounting, are the project supervisors, but are assisted by five students from the Accounting Club and Beta Alpha Psi students.

Foust said the student assistants have undergone training by completing self-study packages from the IRS, which took about eight hours to complete, and have also passed a mandatory test by the IRS.

Although errors have been rare, Foust said, the students will use tax preparation computer software to further cut down on possible errors. The assistants also have access to IRS agents for professional help, if questions arise, through an 800 number.

For the student assistants, the project is not only a chance to provide community service, but to gain valuable experience, Foust said.

“It’s a valuable experience by working with the public and tax forms. It will definitely benefit them when they find a job in the future,” Foust said.

Nicholls applied to be a VITA site, and it was approved by the IRS.

Although Nicholls students and faculty have participated in the program in the past at other local sites, this is the second year the University has been a site.

Foust said the program helped 15-20 students and local citizens save more than $1,500 last year.

The program also uses electronic filing, sent directly to the IRS, which results in faster tax returns. Foust said in some cases last year, participants received their return checks in five days.

According to www.vita.com, the VITA program began in 1966 and Colorado State University became the first institution to sponsor a site in 1971.