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Benedictine University business students help seniors with taxes

Ten years ago, I was approached by the DuPage County Chapter of the University of Notre Dame Alumni Association to partner with them in offering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for seniors and low-income families who have to stretch money all year to pay for necessary items.

Realizing that this was an opportunity to help those in the community who need this type of assistance and that it also would be a wonderful learning opportunity for our students, I agreed to Benedictine's participation in the VITA program. As a result, each year Benedictine business students are invited to assist those unable to afford professional help with their tax preparation.

Students have been so enthusiastic about this program that volunteers have increased each year. In 2009, 30 Benedictine students (up from 14 in 2008) were joined by 11 students from North Central College. To qualify to provide tax assistance, these students must pass a rigorous Internal Revenue Service exam. The students work in two-person teams for four Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nichols Library in Naperville.

Benedictine senior Jaclyn Dominguez and 2009 graduate Hillary Bridges spoke excitedly about VITA. Bridges has been volunteering since 2008, and this will be the second year for Dominguez. They were partners at one of 10 stations in the library last year and felt it was a unique experience. Neither had any idea of the hardships that people in DuPage County are experiencing, and both came away with a better understanding of the real world.

The program has been so successful that during the past five years, the students have helped low-income families (those making $40,000 or less) receive more than $500,000 in tax refunds. In 2009, Benedictine and North Central students helped 165 taxpayers who were scheduled to receive roughly $176,000 in federal and state refunds.

The Internal Revenue Service supports the VITA program so that low-income taxpayers receive all the benefits available to them through the Tax Code. Many people do not know that to qualify for the Earned Income Credit, which was designed to aid low-income families, they must file a correctly completed tax return. In addition, seniors on low or fixed incomes who usually are not required to file a tax return were required to do so last year to qualify for an economic stimulus check from the federal government.

Students begin preparing for this program at the end of January with an "awareness night" that includes a presentation and a discussion of the VITA program. They also receive training materials to prepare them for the IRS examination they must pass before they can participate. Students train by practicing with the tax preparation software TurboTax so that they understand the various IRS forms.

To alert people to the availability of the free tax services, the Notre Dame Alumni Club of DuPage County places notices in church bulletins and local newspapers. At each of the Saturday sessions, alumni club members set up computers and software before sessions begin, interview clients as they arrive to verify their earnings, and check that they have appropriate identification and proper tax information to complete their tax filing.

According to Notre Dame alumnus Michael Domagola, Benedictine and North Central students manned 10 workstations and assisted more than 50 people at each of the four Saturday sessions last year, a significant increase over the previous year. Even more participants are expected this year.

Benedictine professor Don Henschel, chairman of the Undergraduate Business Department, has worked with the program since its inception, along with undergraduate business instructor Chuck Gahala and adjunct faculty member Linda Kanter. Benedictine instructor Vicki Jobst, adjunct faculty member Rob Rebman and North Central faculty member Jennifer Ryan began working with the VITA program in 2009. The faculty and students devote hundreds of hours to this program each year.

I would personally like to extend my thanks to the Benedictine and North Central faculty and students for all they do through this program. We often hear of college and university students going to foreign places to do good work. VITA is the story of students doing important work for people in their own community.

While taxes are often burdensome and the cause of much anxiety, please know that help is available through the VITA program. If you are in need of tax assistance and fall within the income guidelines, I encourage you to attend one of the free tax-filing sessions from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27 and March 13 and 20, at Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville.

• William J. Carroll is president of Benedictine University in Lisle. His column appears monthly in Neighbor.