SUNY Oneonta business administration and accounting students are as busy as ever this tax season as they continue to help classmates, university employees and area residents prepare and file their simple tax returns via a campus program that is nearly a decade old.
A total of 19 students have been thoroughly trained through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program during the spring 2023 semester. The VITA program is part of three-credit course offered for a second year at SUNY Oneonta, where students spend a large portion of the semester getting certified and preparing tax returns for those with a salary of $60k or less.
“Preparing other people’s tax returns gives the students experience in meeting people and interacting with them in ways that demonstrate competence, professionalism, poise, punctuality, courtesy and empathy,” said Lisa Flynn, associate professor of accounting and the course’s instructor. “The students have learned how to ask for sensitive financial information in ways that put the client at ease to the greatest extent possible.”
Students work in pairs to complete client returns, ensuring accuracy as they handle sensitive information. Among the 19 preparers are four returning student coordinators, who have been given increased responsibility and an increased sense of “ownership” in the program.
Life Lessons
After taking the course in the spring 2022 semester, Rachel Henry and Justin Almanzar are two of the returning student coordinators for the VITA program this spring. Justin, a native of the Bronx, NY, is an accounting major who enjoys “piecing together balances sheets because it can feel like a fun mystery at times.” Rachel, of Pawling, NY, is an accounting major as well.
“Since participating in the VITA program, some career-oriented skills that I have obtained include customer service and knowledge in how to complete income taxes,” said Rachel. “The VITA program offers realistic experiential learning for students. Even if a student is not pursing a degree in accounting, the class is still helpful, because income taxes are something that will always need to be done throughout your life.”
Both Rachel and Justin plan to take the CPA exam to further their career opportunities. Because they are student coordinators, one of their additional responsibilities is to review the prepared returns of other students in the program.
“I think the VITA program is a great program that builds integration with the student body and Oneonta public through learning and a public service. Students will take away valuable skills on tax preparation, communication and review,” said Justin. “I have been able to learn the skills of confidentiality and how to communicate with the public about their financial situation in an approachable way and I greatly improved my analytical skills when it came to reviewing prepared taxes.”
IRS Certified
The services provided by the students in the VITA program are free. VITA students who prepare returns must take and pass tax law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards. This training includes maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of all taxpayer information. Additionally, the IRS requires a quality review check for every return prepared at a VITA site prior to filing.
“The students have learned the importance of attention to detail and have experienced how important it is to ‘get things right’ the first time,” said Flynn. “There are still several open appointments that we hope to see fill up before we complete the VITA portion of the course.”
Students have already filed returns for 22 clients, both federal and state, with an additional 10 appointments scheduled. After all appointments conclude on April 12, the course will finish with lessons on international taxation in various countries.
SUNY Oneonta has been a VITA partner organization for many years, thanks to William "Jeff" Weinell, a business lecturer and advisement coordinator who passed away in 2020. Weinell, who also served as a mentor and advisor to various campus clubs, initiated and grew the VITA program, which, was initially held off campus and was a volunteer opportunity for a small number of students.
To schedule an appointment, contact Jesse Holland at jesse.holland@oneonta.edu or 607-436-3251.
Photography by Ryan Dittmar, `23, Media Studies & Digital and Studio Art major.