Sour faces and frustrated grumbles caused by the piles of paperwork signal the arrival of the least favorite time of year for many people.
‘Tis the season to file tax returns.
Students who find the world of W-2 forms, never-ending numbers, and other paper filings confusing and chaotic can get free help throughout the next month from Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honors fraternity.
This is the second year the society has offered free tax preparation for community members. Volunteers from Beta Alpha Psi, along with IRS experts, will work with students individually and help them fill out their tax forms correctly.
The next services will be provided between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. March 3, March 17 and April 14 in the Chiles Center, Room 228.
Scott Rawitscher, the fraternity’s tax preparation coordinator, said last year the group helped nearly 300 people file tax returns. He added that this service especially appealed to students because it took only 30-45 minutes, sometimes saving them hours of time and energy.
“Most students don’t have the time or patience to do their own taxes,” he said.
Tracy Fisher, an accounting graduate student and Beta Alpha Psi member who used the service last year, said the program also gives students the option to “e-file,” which processes tax forms electronically. This process allows people to receive tax refunds within 11 days, as opposed to the months it can take when filings are sent through the mail.
She said that e-filing would usually cost about $50, but Beta Alpha Psi offers the service for free.
Fisher added that the fraternity’s service helps prevent students from making errors. She explained that through IRS software, tax preparers can enter some general information that automatically goes into all the appropriate forms at one time. This way students can avoid the mistake of copying down the wrong information or making mathematical slips as they “go back and forth” between forms.
The fraternity prepares its volunteers with a crash course and provides training focused on common tax issues students come across. IRS experts are also on site to assist volunteers and answer more complex questions.
Julie Heidenreich, a returning volunteer who plans to go into the tax business, said one of the best parts of her job was helping students save money by telling them about lesser-known deductions such as tuition fees and book expenses.
“There are many ways people can save money, and a lot of people still don’t know about them,” she said.
Heidenreich added that last year she received a lot of positive feedback from students who were relieved that they didn’t have to tackle their tax forms alone.
“Most people hate doing taxes,” she said. “It was fun to help people because they were so thankful.”