Madison residents are receiving a helping hand organizing their income taxes, thanks to the efforts of the Volunteer Income Tax Association, located at the Villager Center, 2300 S. Park St.
Comprised of 120 UW-Madison students and former members of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the goal of the organization is to provide free aid in filing tax returns to those who cannot afford it.
\The service is very simple, for low-income people from all different cultural and ethnic backgrounds,"" said Mary Rouse, director of the Morgridge Center for Public service.
VITA volunteers mostly deal with low-income, disabled, retired and non-English speaking Madison residents in analyzing their tax documents. This work includes acquiring benefits such as earned income and homestead credits as well as utilizing electronic filing to receive the quickest possible service and refunds.
""The typical provider like Jackson-Hewitt or H&R Block will charge a fee on the return they give you,"" said Brandon Peterson, UW-Madison senior and member of VITA since its inception. ""We're available to just get in and do it.""
The volunteers for the service include UW-Madison students from accounting, law and business schools, as well as retired Certified Public Accountants and members of the DOR.
Student volunteers receive benefits as well, including academic credit, service learning and real-life experience dealing with tax laws.
""It's a rewarding experience for the students,"" said Eva Robelia, communications officer for the DOR. ""They are gaining fantastic experience within the community.""
Now in its third year, VITA is on track to surpass last year's total of 3,000 filed returns. Numbers are much higher than they were last year at the same time and the organization's goal is to complete over 4,000 returns by the program's end April 15.
""The numbers are all up, and we're seeing a good turnout for this year,"" Robelia said.
