Early Bird

MSU Denver students offer free tax preparation

Households earning less than $56,000 can receive no-cost services thanks to Volunteer Income Tax Assistance course.

By Tim Carroll

February 5, 2020

This tax season, Metropolitan State University of Denver accounting students will once again offer free tax-preparation services to Roadrunners and the broader community. Households that earned less than $56,000 in 2019 can receive no-cost tax-preparation services as part of a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance course. The University has been a supporter of the IRS-sponsored VITA program for more than three decades, helping Denver-area lower-income individuals and families with their tax returns.

Today through April 13

Monday and Thursday evenings from 5:30-8 p.m. (appointments by walk-up)

• Excludes the week of March 23 because of MSU Denver’s spring break.

JSSB 234

Student tax preparers use IRS TaxSlayer software to file returns electronically on behalf of clients. A typical tax filing can take anywhere from a half-hour to an hour and a half depending on the complexity of the return. All student tax consultants in the VITA program receive certification as volunteer tax preparers with oversight from credentialed professional faculty. Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking tax preparers will also be available.

In addition to providing free services to the community, accounting students gain valuable experience in their field. The VITA program is one of the few that integrate undergraduate and graduate students, creating opportunities for students to assume a variety of roles based on their experience and interest. Through the program, students may serve as site coordinators, small-business consultants and student mentors, creating opportunities to practice leadership and management skills in addition to filing returns.

MSU Denver’s VITA class is affiliated with the Piton Foundation, a group of community-based nonprofit, government and private organizations.