Sabita Tuladhar is convinced she paid more taxes last year than she should have. But this year she says that won't happen. Tuladhar is a senior at the Marriott School majoring in information systems from Kathmandu, Nepal. "Sometimes it's really confusing," she admits, "and I've been using the easy form."
To understand the complex U.S. tax code, Tuladhar is getting free tax help from the largest collegiate lab in the United States. "Now I understand the deductions better, but for a while I had a hard time knowing what to do," she explained. Last year a confusing line on her tax form cost her dearly.
More than 5,000 people like Tuladhar are hoping to avoid similar mistakes by seeking help at BYU's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) lab, staffed by accounting students at the Marriott School and sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Nearly 200 undergraduate and graduate accounting students work in the lab, volunteering at least one hour per week for two-months.
Questions from students and others like Tuladhar have helped BYU accounting students develop unique expertise in international and multi-state tax regulations. "The students and faculty spend a lot of time examining international tax issues," said Dave Stewart, Marriott School professor of accountancy and adviser to the VITA lab. "BYU students come from all fifty states and more than 100 countries. We have to be prepared for almost any question."
In addition to their in-class training VITA volunteers complete a two-hour training session with the IRS on VITA procedures and international and multi-state issues. In addition, BYU's International Student Club provides training on the kinds of issues volunteers may face.
The IRS has recognized the Marriott School's student chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the group responsible for the lab, every year for the past 10 years as one of the best VITA labs in the country.
"We have carefully designed the help we give students," said Stephanie Romney, a second-year graduate student in accountancy and VITA program director. "We don't just help answer questions — we sit down and walk through the tax forms with the students, making sure they are familiar with the forms. Although our volunteers may be graduating, they don't assume they know every tax issue. If they don't know an answer, they'll find out. It's a great sense of accomplishment for them to realize they can do it." Romney concluded, "We can help people through some difficult situations."
Volunteers help people like Tuladhar, who may need some extra help making sure they haven't missed something important — like completing the line that tells the IRS they are due a refund or overlooking an important deduction.
"The lab volunteers have been very helpful," Tuladhar said. "They explained how to get a tax break from my education."
The Marriott School's VITA lab is located in 316 TNRB and will be open until March 31. Volunteers are generally available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Federal tax forms and additional tax help are available on the Internet at https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions.
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school's undergraduate and graduate accounting programs are currently ranked third in the nation by Public Accounting Report. The Marriott School's mission is to educate men and women of faith, character and professional ability who will become outstanding managers and leaders throughout the world. Approximately 5000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School's graduate and undergraduate programs.
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Writer: Peter Carr (801) 378-1512