Early Bird

Accounting students offer free tax preparation

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance class gives students valuable experience and supports lower-income community members.

By Garrett Deitemeyer

February 3, 2022

This tax season, Metropolitan State University of Denver Accounting students will once again offer free tax-preparation services to all eligible households that earned less than $57,000 in 2021. This service is run by students in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance class taught by Robert Persichitte, CPA, CFP, affiliate professor of Accounting. The course gives students the opportunity to gain valuable experience working directly with members of the public, while taxpayers can have their return prepared and reviewed by certified professionals.

The free tax-preparation event runs every Monday evening through April 11 except for March 21, which is during spring break. No appointment is needed, as services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis from 6-8 p.m. in the Jordan Student Success Building, Room 234. A typical tax filing can take 30-90 minutes, depending on the complexity of the return.

To file, anyone seeking services will need:

• A photo ID (including one for a spouse, if married and filing jointly)
• Social Security card(s) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number paperwork (and for a spouse and dependents, if applicable)
• All 2021 tax documents

About VITA:

• All student tax consultants in the VITA class receive certification as volunteer tax preparers with oversight from credentialed professional faculty members.
• MSU Denver’s VITA class is affiliated with Mile High United Way, a group of community-based nonprofit, government and private organizations.
• 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.
• Learn more at coloradovita.org/.