Labovitz School of Business and Economics students are helping community members navigate their tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
VITA provides tax return preparation for low and moderate-income ($54,000 or less) Twin Ports residents at the Duluth Public Library and at the Labovitz School of Business and Economics (LSBE).
“As a service learning program, VITA provides hands-on experience in tax return preparation and interpersonal communication,” says accounting instructor Charles Reichert.
There are 60 UMD students helping the community through VITA this year. Most of them are accounting majors taking a 3000 level accounting class and earning two credits towards their degrees.
They practice with hypothetical examples for three weeks before volunteering for five sessions and one of the two preparation sites.
The details of the VITA sessions are:
Duluth Public Library– 520 W. Superior Street
The following Mondays from 2 – 7 p.m.:
March 13, 20 and 27; April 3
The following Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.:
March 18 and 25; April 1 and 8
Labovitz School of Business and Economics–1318 Kirby Drive
In LSBE rooms 134 and 144
The following Wednesdays from 2 -7:30 p.m.:
March 1, 15, 22, and 29; April 5
The following Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.:
March 18 and 25; April 1 and 8
More information is available on the VITA Programs webpage.
Many of the people pursuing VITA’s services are repeat clients.