Ten students are offering free
help to low-income Schenectady
County residents who are
filing tax returns.
The program, part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA),
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, completed
a course in public finance and a four-hour, IRS-staffed training class certification
test. They will receive course credit through the College's Economics
Department.
Economics Professor Therese
McCarty is coordinating the program. Presha
Neidermeyer, a certified public accountant and accounting professor at the
Graduate College of Union University, also is working with the students.
The Union students are Devon
Bruce, Erica Chambers, Carrie Dancy,
Adrienne Dodge, Joshua Holdreith, Michelle Lombard, Adam Pennacchio, Adrienne
Ringer, Greg Shaffran
and Ellen Spicer.
“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.”
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.
A resident who had got help from
Bruce said, “It's hard to find this sort of help, and for free. 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.
Diane Blake, vice president for
finance, is also volunteering in the VITA program, said: “The benefits to both
the clients and our students are clearly visible when you see the program in
action, she said.”
Senior Adrienne Ringer, 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.