Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler ,
(818) 677-2130
carmen.chandler@csun.edu

CSUN Students Help People Through Taxing Times

Hundreds of CSUN students have undergone intensive training as part of the university's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which is available to residents who can't afford professional tax help.

"For a lot of people, getting your taxes done can be frightening," said Raul Sanchez, a 22-year-old accounting and management information systems major from North Hollywood. "A lot of the people we see are immigrants and for them, the bureaucracy alone is scary. When I help prepare their taxes, I try to provide some sort of comfort by telling them about my own parents' experiencesŠhow they used to file taxes and the concerns they had.

"When they see us," he added, "they know we're students who want to help them, not someone out to get their money."

Professor Cathy Jeppson, who oversees the program, said VITA consists of a group of dedicated students who give up their winter break to learn the latest about federal and state income tax preparation and how to file taxes electronically.

"It is a field assignment, but it won't raise their grade point average and does not serve as a substitute for a class," she said. "Most of the students who do this, do so because they want to give something back to the community.

Naghmeh Daneshrad, a 24-year-old accounting major from Tarzana, agreed.

"I don't believe you go to school just to attend classes," she said. "You go to learn what you are capable of. You go the extra mile to get the experience and to help the community."

Greg Wible, a 34-year-old accounting major from Sunland, said he does not know why more students do not volunteer.

"You get to meet some very interesting people and know that you are helping them," he said. "Plus, you can put it on your resume. But that's not why most of us do it. You're doing something for the community and you get a real-world application of what you are learning in the classroom."

The VITA program, offered through the College of Business Administration and Economics, is in its 28th year. Student volunteers have prepared more than 10,000 state and federal tax returns annually, saving filers approximately $650,000 each year.

More than 300 CSUN students each tax season have undergone intensive training to deal with common tax problems.

To qualify for the program, community members must make less than $40,000 a year.

Fifteen VITA centers operate throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley through March 26. They will be closed March 27-April 5 for CSUN's Spring Break, and resume operations from April 6-April 15.

Specialized services are available for senior citizens, non-English speaking and handicapped individuals.

Taxpayers should bring a copy of last year's return, W-2 forms, interest and dividend statements, records for deductions, receipts and a voided check for electronic filing.

The service is limited to basic returns. The volunteers do not prepare estimated taxes, business-related forms, non-residents' returns nor prepare income tax extensions.

Participants should arrive early at a VITA center to ensure assistance, as no appointments can be made.

For more information, contact VITA at (818) 677-4519.