An IRS-certified student volunteer assists a taxpayer with an income tax return.
Photo by Robert Clark.
The money has supported the operations of CSUN’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic during the 2019 tax season. In addition to the money, bank employees have volunteered to serve as interpreters and greeters at many of the clinic’s sites throughout Los Angeles.
“The CSUN VITA Clinic is deeply grateful for Bank of Hope’s continued support of our free tax preparation services,” said accounting professor Rafi Efrat, director of CSUN’s VITA Clinic and Bookstein Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. “With their help, the CSUN VITA Clinic is able to continue expanding and serving a greater number of low-income taxpayers in the San Fernando Valley. Aside from the financial support, Bank of Hope’s employees have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service by joining our various clinics and providing valuable assistance to taxpayers. This unique partnership enhances our ability to deliver a more wholesome experience to the taxpayers we serve.”
Kevin Kim, president and CEO of Bank of Hope, said the bank was “delighted to have this opportunity to provide funding to assist individuals with their income tax reporting requirements, while at the same time providing students with real-life tax compliance experience.”
CSUN’s VITA Clinic offered its services to low-income members of the public from Jan. 28 through April 15 at CSUN and 21 satellite locations throughout Los Angeles County.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Bank of Hope has been providing financial services to the largest Korean-American community in the country for nearly four decades. Today, Bank of Hope serves a multiethnic population of customers through 64 full-service branches across nine states; eight Loan Production Offices add a presence in two additional states.