For Immediate
Release
Contact: Lisa Stratton
518.388.8394 strattol@union.edu
February 8,
2005
Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance program provides training, support
Ten Union College students are participating in a community service program to assist
low-income people with the preparation and filing of their tax returns. The students,
who were trained by the Internal Revenue Service and passed a qualifying test, are
offering free help to residents in Schenectady County as part of the Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).
The VITA
program is coordinated by the IRS and the New York State Office of Temporary
and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Schenectady is one of 27 counties across the
state where free income tax preparation is being offered.
The Union
students, who work out of the College's Kenney Community Center, previously
completed a course in public finance and a 4-hour, IRS-staffed training class
preceding the certification test. In addition, they will receive course credit
from the College's Economics Department.
Economics
Professor Therese McCarty is coordinating the program. Presha Neidermeyer, who
is a certified public accountant and accounting professor at the Graduate
College of Union University, also is working with the students.
VITA sites are
generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools,
and other convenient locations. Many sites, including Union's, offer free
electronic filing, which means even faster receipt of refunds for those who
qualify. The program is available for those with an annual household income of
$36,000 or below. Referrals for the Union College program come mainly from the Schenectady
County Department of Social Services and Schenectady Municipal Housing
Authority.
“This
collaboration of government and the College enhances the opportunity for hard
working men and women to take advantage of the availability of no cost income
tax preparation and secure the value of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),”
said Dennis Packard, commissioner of the county DSS. “DSS is excited to
work with Union College and the other VITA sites around the county to make sure
that this valuable tax incentive is fully realized for the residents of Schenectady County.”
OTDA Commissioner Robert Doar said: “Under Governor Pataki, welfare reform has been about not only reducing the welfare caseload but also helping
low income workers. When you combine the EITC with the state's favorable
income-tax structure, and the array of benefits available to low-income
families, you not only have a powerful incentive to leave welfare behind, you
have programs that actually reward work.”
The EITC was enacted to offset federal taxes paid by low-income wage
earners and to serve as a work incentive.
The Union students involved are: Devon Bruce, Erica Chambers, Carrie Dancy,
Adrienne Dodge, Joshua Holdreith, Michelle Lombard, Adam Pennacchio, Adrienne
Ringer, Greg Shaffran and Ellen Spicer.
Robin English
of Schenectady, who had her taxes prepared by Devon Bruce, said she was pleased
with the program. “It's hard to find this sort of help, and for free,” she
said. “These kids are just great!”
Another client
who lives in Rotterdam said she paid more than $100 in past years to
professional tax preparers who did the same job as the volunteers. “With this
program, I get to keep the entire refund,” she said.
Union College's Vice President for Finance Diane Blake, who is also volunteering her time
in the VITA program, said: “President Roger Hull has made community service a
cornerstone of this College. The benefits to both the clients and our students
are clearly visible when you see the program in action.”
More than 60
percent of Union's students perform volunteer service in the local community
and schools during their time at the College.
Senior Adrienne
Ringer, who is an economics major, said the program has given her a unique
opportunity to “give back to the community.” She added, “This is just so
worthwhile and rewarding. I love seeing the looks on their faces when you tell
them they will get a tax refund.”
The service is
offered Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesdays from 12-2
p.m. through April 15. For more information or to make an appointment, call
388-6652. One of the student volunteers is fluent in Spanish for those who need
language assistance.