With tax season underway, students at Texas Wesleyan University are building professional skills and participating in service learning through a volunteer tax preparation course.<\/p>\n
Students learn the basics of tax law, how to input earnings and credits as well as the ethics involved in tax preparation. Then they take an online test for the IRS certification that allows them to help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lesley Orona, a junior accounting major with aspirations of someday owning her own tax business, took the course last spring. While she was nervous because it was her first foray into the professional world, Orna said she had a great experience and walked away with new skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely worked on my communication skills, on communicating with the people that I was working with and with the other volunteers,\u201d she said. \u201cThat definitely helped me, and I feel like that\u2019ll help me later on as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such experiences and confidence is the goal of the elective class, which started in 2018 through a collaboration with United Way of Tarrant County, said Kimberly Webb, an accounting professor at Texas Wesleyan who teaches the course.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last year, 10 enrolled students made up 7.4% of local volunteers. They racked up 657 volunteer hours that represented 12% of the total hours put in by volunteers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re small, but powerful,\u201d Webb said.<\/p>\n
This spring, 22 students enrolled \u2014 the largest class size since the course began, she said.<\/p>\n
Getting help filing a tax return is not cheap, and some preparers take advantage of clients, Webb said. The goal of the volunteer program is to help those who are low-income, disabled, older adults or who have limited English proficiency to ensure they file and receive their refunds.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you think about low-income taxpayers, just a little bit of a tax refund can really make a difference for them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
United Way of Tarrant County is a local administrator of the nationwide Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program from the IRS. The assistance is available to individuals and families who make $69,000 or less per year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Students spend the first month of the course with an outside instructor who trains them on how to be a volunteer tax preparer. Webb and the instructor create homework so the students can practice leading up to their certification tests.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe training kind of starts at ground zero, assuming people have never done taxes before, which is a good assumption when you\u2019re working with students because most of them have no idea what it\u2019s about at all,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Students from other area universities volunteer for the program. Webb said Texas Wesleyan may be the only school to offer class credit, at least to her knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The goal is for students to complete 60 volunteer hours. Most reach it, Webb said. They also keep a journal and reflect upon what they learned from volunteering.<\/p>\n
The class is an opportunity for students to develop professionalism, communication skills and technological literacy, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The students learn how to present themselves professionally, communicate complicated subjects effectively, use tax preparation software and navigate situations with clients who may be frustrated that the outcome of their return is not what they expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The class draws accounting majors as well as those in other related fields, including marketing, management and general business.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Experience interacting with clients in a professional way has a wide applicability, Webb said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a business communications standpoint, and professional environment standpoint, anybody can benefit from that, regardless of their major,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Where to find tax help<\/p>\n
United Way of Tarrant County is offering help through the VITA program at 11 physical locations and six mobile units<\/a> this tax season. Schedule an appointment here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arlington East Library<\/p>\n 1817 New York Ave., Arlington<\/p>\n March 5 and April 2<\/p>\n 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Arlington Human Services Center<\/p>\n 401 W. Sanford St., Arlington<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Community Enrichment Center<\/p>\n 6250 Northeast Loop 820, North Richland Hills<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday and Friday 2-7 p.m.<\/p>\n Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m.<\/p>\n FC Shadow Brook VITA Community Tax Center<\/p>\n 2020 S. Cooper St. Arlington<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.<\/p>\n Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m.<\/p>\n Forest Hill Civic Center<\/p>\n 6901 Wichita St., Forest Hill<\/p>\n Feb. 9, March 9, April 13<\/p>\n 11 a.m.-5 p.m.<\/p>\n Grace Grapevine<\/p>\n 837 E. Walnut St., Grapevine<\/p>\n Feb. 28, March 28, April 11<\/p>\n 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Great Commission Baptist Church<\/p>\n 7700 McCart Ave., Fort Worth<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday-Thursday 12-5 p.m.<\/p>\n Northside Community Center<\/p>\n 1100 NW 18th St., Fort Worth<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Opening Doors for Women in Need<\/p>\n 3600 Horne St., Fort Worth<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday and Tuesday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.<\/p>\n Wednesday 1-6 p.m.<\/p>\n Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n Southside Community Center<\/p>\n 959 E. Rosedale St., Fort Worth\u00a0<\/p>\n Now-April 15<\/p>\n Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n 2nd and 4th Saturdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.<\/p>\n TCC South Family Empowerment Center<\/p>\n 5301 Campus Drive, Fort Worth\u00a0<\/p>\n Now-April 15 (closed March 14-21 for spring break)<\/p>\n Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.<\/p>\n Saturday 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n Avondale Farms Senior Community\u00a0<\/p>\n 13145 Avondale Farms Road, Haslet<\/p>\n March 12<\/p>\n 9 a.m.-12 p.m.<\/p>\n Fort Worth East Regional Library<\/p>\n 6301 Bridge St., Fort Worth, TX 76112<\/p>\n Feb. 9, March 9 and April 13<\/p>\n 1-5 p.m.<\/p>\n Fort Worth Southwest Regional Library<\/p>\n 4001 Library Lane, Fort Worth<\/p>\n Feb. 2, March 2 and April 6<\/p>\n 2-7 p.m.<\/p>\n LVTRise<\/p>\n 8201 Calmont Ave., Fort Worth<\/p>\n March 4 and April 1<\/p>\n 3-7 p.m.<\/p>\n Providence at Marine Creek Apartment Homes<\/p>\n 4307 Old Decatur Road, Fort Worth<\/p>\n March 19<\/p>\n 9 a.m.-noon<\/p>\n Providence Village at Marine Creek<\/p>\n 4301 Old Decatur Road, Fort Worth<\/p>\n March 19<\/p>\n 1-3 p.m.<\/p>\n McKinnon Rice is the higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at mckinnon.rice@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Fort Worth Report partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.<\/p>\n