Forget waiting for this year’s tax refund. For the first time ever, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) center at Brigham Young University can help you file your taxes electronically – cutting the wait for your refund by as much as two weeks.
The VITA center, a free tax preparation help lab sponsored by BYU’s Marriott School and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is now equipped with TaxWise, an electronic filing software. “People who use the software usually receive their return within one or two weeks,” said Joelle Critchfield, a first-year Master of Accountancy student and coordinator of this year’s VITA help center.
TaxWise is available to all BYU faculty, staff, students and the public. The VITA center, staffed by volunteer accounting students from the Marriott School, attend a training course to become certified in the use of TaxWise software.
“TaxWise does not work like Turbotax,” Critchfield said. “Turbotax leads you through a return step-by-step, however, TaxWise requires a knowledge and understanding of the different tax forms. But don’t worry, student volunteers are ready to help.”
Along with TaxWise, the Marriott School’s VITA center has more than 200 volunteers ready to assist those wanting help with their taxes. In addition to providing help with Utah and federal taxes, VITA volunteer scan assist people with international or multi-state tax forms. On average, about 5,000 visitors use the center each year making BYU’s VITA center one of the IRS’s largest volunteer tax help centers in the country.
The Marriott School’s VITA center, located in room 316 of the Tanner Building (TNRB), is free to the public. The lab will remain open until 30 March, with volunteers generally available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. International students can attend a special tax workshop on 9 March at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in room 120 TNRB.
The School of Accountancy and Information Systems, part of BYU’s Marriott School, offers master’s degrees in accountancy and information systems. Public Accounting Report ranks the school’s master ofaccountancy and undergraduate accountancy programs third in the nation. The Marriott School is dedicated to educating men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world.
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Writer: Carrie Beckstead (801) 378-1512
