Winona State University Accounting Professor Richard Schneider and a group of 11 accounting students volunteered approximately 370 total hours of their time to provide free income tax assistance to low income individuals and families.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program assists taxpayers in preparing their tax returns.
"I am very appreciative of the students who were quite willing to give their time," Schneider said.
This year 355 federal tax returns and approximately the same number of state tax returns were prepared for nine different states including Minnesota, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Hawaii and Maryland, he said, as well as approximately 50 international returns where the volunteers dealt with possible treaties from different countries.
"There were 100 to 150 or more people from the Winona community that we assisted," Schneider said.
This was an excellent opportunity and learning experience for the students, he said.
"The students interviewed clients, asked questions and worked with professional software for the tax returns," Schneider said. "They also used their skills to research minor tax issues."
Besides the volunteer time, this was made possible by contributions from a local accounting company and the university, he said.
"A $500 donation was made by Hawkins, Ash, Baptie and Co. towards a new printer," Schneider said. "The university contributed the remaining amount for the money as well as contributing space and providing computers for service."
Schneider also attributes the success of the program to computer services, Ken Gorman, dean of the college of business, and Steve Richardson, vice president of academic affairs.
VITA has been in operation for approximately a decade.
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