The Triangle

Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Nicolle Kern-The Triangle Beta Alpha Psi and the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program volunteers team up to provide free tax services to the Drexel community; they will file taxes three days a week until the first few weeks of spring term.

Members of the Drexel community can get their taxes filed for free until the first few weeks of spring term through a service sponsored by Beta Alpha Psi and provided by the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program volunteers, according to Beta Alpha Psi faculty advisor Jane Kaplan.

The VITA volunteers are Drexel students who have all been certified by the IRS. According to Beta Alpha Psi president Katherine Fulson-Woytek, there are 28 volunteers in total who went through the training and passed the test.

"So far, about 75 percent of those we have serviced are from Drexel and the other 25 percent are community members," Fulson-Woytek said.

The VITA volunteers are currently working Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to file taxes. Students and others in the Drexel community can call (215) 895-0436 to schedule an appointment.

According to Kaplan, the free tax service has been offered on Drexel's campus before but on a much smaller and limited scale. Kaplan said she hopes to enlarge the Drexel VITA program in future years.

"This is a wonderful service to provide to the Drexel community," Kaplan said.

According to the IRS website, the VITA program targets people earning about $40,000 and lower. There are VITA programs all over the country and over the summer, Kaplan initiated plans for the Drexel VITA program by meeting with the IRS.

"I was surprised by the amount of support," Fulson-Woytek said. "There are volunteers on co-op who come in after work."

There are also several freshmen involved in this year's VITA program at Drexel, and according to Fulson-Woytek, this ensures that the program will continue running in the future.

Alicia Prestianne, a freshman business major, decided to become a VITA volunteer when it was brought up in her business class.

"I was interested because eventually I'll have to do my own taxes," Prestianne said.

Continued...

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