Program offers students real world experience while providing valuable service to the local community.
WATERBURY, Conn. (March 15, 2023) – Post University is providing free tax preparation for the third year in a row through a designated IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program website. Through the VITA program, Waterbury taxpayers who earned an income under $58,000 in 2022 can have Post student volunteers prepare and file their Federal and Connecticut tax returns virtually.
The Post students participating in VITA completed extensive training to become IRS-certified volunteers with a goal of providing local taxpayers cost savings on their tax preparation. Virtual help is available now through April 15, 2023. The United Way of Greater Waterbury and the Connecticut Association of Human Services (CAHS) organizes this VITA program in greater Waterbury.
“This is a great opportunity for our Post University accounting students,” said Dr. Majo Jacinto, Master of Science in Accounting Program Chair at Post University. “Students practice what they learn while providing a valuable service for qualifying taxpayers with cost savings on tax preparation. We take pride in helping our students gain real life experience, and we know people in the community need this service and appreciate the help. Our students need to learn and having an IRS VITA certification is a great resume builder for them.”
This year’s team includes a certified financial planner volunteer, a student in Post’s undergraduate accounting program and a student in Post’s MSA program – both of whom previously participated in the VITA program last year.
– Julia Hudson, MSA student
– Jenna Abeyta, Bachelor of Science in Accounting student
– Nicola Graham, community volunteer
Julia Hudson is currently enrolled in the Post MSA program. She volunteered with the VITA program last year where she was able to incorporate her studies into real world experience in preparation for her intended career as a CPA. Jenna Abeyta is a senior at Post majoring in accounting and also volunteered with the VITA program last year. Her experience with VITA has given her a basis to understanding the idea of tax research and how to transfer information when preparing tax returns. Since volunteering last year, Abeyta has interned at Crowe LLP where she joined an international tax team and started to expand her understanding of tax software and procedures.
“Post’s VITA program continues to be such a rewarding experience for me,” says Abeyta. “I get to learn the craft of my future profession during tax season while also helping the members of my community.”
All returns will be filed electronically unless the IRS requires a manual return. Taxpayers must be available to sign the appropriate forms in the case of joint returns, and tax returns will not be transmitted until after the taxpayer collects the completed return and signs the required permission forms.
In preparing to have taxes completed, taxpayers are reminded to have the following assembled:
- Copies of Photo ID and Social Security cards for themselves and dependents
- Any tax documentation, including all W-2 forms, 1099 forms, Social Security or pensions.
- Education expenses & student loan payments, 1098T
- Payments for childcare. Bring day care provider’s address and tax ID number
- Mortgage 1098 form & receipts of property & car taxes paid
- Mortgage expenses and/or interest paid
- Access Health CT forms, 1095A, copy of health insurance form 1095B or C
- A copy of last year’s state and federal tax returns
Due to limitations set by the federal government, VITA programs cannot help taxpayers who have declared bankruptcy or incurred insolvency during the tax year, have rental property, have a self-owned business with inventory, depreciable property, or which had an overall loss for the year, and certain situations in which a taxpayer has received a forgiveness of debt.
To access the program, taxpayers can visit: www.getyourrefund.org/PostUniv