As the 2024 tax deadline draws near, a nonprofit allowed students to help the community while getting IRS certified.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA under the United Way of Tarrant County, hosted its first VITAThon at South Campus on March 29.
Households with $67,000 or less in income could prepare and file their taxes at no cost by IRS-certified volunteers.
VITA program coordinator Tellamecus Forsythe said college students make up nearly 60% of their volunteers and are usually the most active. She said by offering this opportunity, VITA hopes to instill a desire to give back early on while giving students skills to further their careers.
“On a college campus, it’s good to have a foundation of service, a foundation of giving to the community,” she said. “It’s rewarding to make good money from a nice paying job, but there’s something to be said about the reward you get when you’re of service to the people in your community. If that’s started at a young age, it’s something that grows as they grow.”
Leon Stitt is this VITA site’s coordinator and ensures the tax return is complete before submitting it to the IRS. Stitt said starting student volunteers are always shadowed by seasoned and certified tax preparers.
“My job is to make sure the student is comfortable and the taxpayer is comfortable,” he said. “You have to make sure you’re open and make sure they know they can come to you and ask anything.”
Once students are comfortable and complete their online training, they receive their basic IRS certification, but VITA program manager Pennie Clayton said most progress to the advanced level.
“[Volunteers] become VITA-holics,” she said. “Once you get past that first tax return that you’ve done on your own, then it becomes you doing taxes and then you’re serving others. You become the connection with the clients that come into the site.”
And despite having newly certified volunteers, Clayton said they still prioritize accuracy through a system of checks and double checks.
“We have been probably the top five VITA programs in the U.S. for our accuracy rate,” she said. “We don’t get a lot of returns that have mistakes.”
Along with adding volunteer hours to their resume, Clayton said the experience builds a students people skills and allows them to connect the community with partnering non profits.
“A lot of our clients are transparent,” she said. “They could be here getting their taxes done and start talking about running short on groceries or having problems keeping the utilities on. So in saying things like that, it gives an opportunity for us to give those referrals.”
Clayton said this networking was what brought an elderly man to the VITAthon after he received service from Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County, a non profit that delivers free meals to those in need.
When he mentioned his concern over his taxes, the Meals on Wheels volunteers suggested VITA, and he was able to file his income tax.
Stitt said this year, he’s seen an increase in back taxes, with some participants filing for as far back as 2020.
“There’s a lot of different factors, especially for people that are starting to get older in age, they’re trying to put their life together now,” he said. “A lot of people were younger at the time, but now they want to buy a house. You can’t buy a house without a current tax return. You can’t get the Pell Grant or financial aid without having a tax return.”
Stitt said he hopes to remove the fear so many have in filing their taxes and working with the IRS, including those wanting to file for an extension.
“People think ‘Oh my gosh, they’re going to come take everything I own,’” he said. “The IRS is not that bad if you talk to them. You have to have communication, call them. If you see you owe, and it’s too much, call and ask for an extension. They will work with you, but if you just sit there and try to ignore it and think it’s going to go away, it doesn’t happen.”
However, Forsythe said while they’re ready to help anyone, they’re limited in what they can do if not all documentation is brought.
“Make sure you have your ID and social security card. Make sure you have all your W2’s,” she said. “If you have 1099’s, retirement or anything you feel might be relevant to your tax return, bring it. We can decipher if we need it or not.”
Sara Medel, a student employee with the Family Empowerment Center on South Campus, said her primary role during VITAthon was translating.
Following a national spotlight on documentation and citizenship, Medel said she’d noticed a shift in who was coming in for assistance.
“This year, we have a smaller percentage of Hispanic families coming in, and the ones that come in are a little bit nervous,” she said. “They will ask ‘What if I don’t have a social security card or an ID or a driver’s license?’ But I talk to them and say ‘Don’t worry, they’re going to help you.’”
As she works toward receiving her certification, she said the most rewarding part is bettering the lives of others during a stressful time.
“The best thing is at the end, you see their smile,” she said. “They’re happy to even pay because they know they’re in good hands.”
The deadline for income tax submission is April 15. Those interested in volunteering for the 2025 tax season can apply on their website.
