McDaniel College’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, in which students offer free tax filing for community members with low to moderate incomes, has been selected by the Internal Revenue Service as one of two test sites in Maryland for electronic filing. Susan Milstein, Economics and Business Administration professor, calls the recognition a tribute to the College’s success rate with electronic filing, which VITA has been doing for seven years.

“It shows that they find our site to be working well enough to be able to handle something like this,” says Milstein, who started the College’s VITA program more than 15 years ago.

Before this year, taxes were completed on the computer and the documents were transferred to the IRS. This year, students will work directly through the IRS Web site and submit federal and state taxes in live, real time.

VITA kicks off the 2007 tax season Feb. 13. The schedule is as follows:
7-9 p.m. Feb. 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, March 1, 6, 8. 20, 22, 27, 29, and April 3 and 5; 12-3 p.m. on Feb. 17, 24, March 3, 24, 31, and April 7.

This year, 34 student volunteers will receive credit for preparing tax returns. Community members who earn $40,000 or less, and who file single or jointly, are encouraged to participate. All McDaniel College students, staff and faculty can have their taxes filed for free, no matter their income.

Appointments are required and can be made by calling Alison Bradley at (410) 871-3344, or by e-mailing vitatax@mcdaniel.edu. Tax help is given in the Windows lab in the basement of Lewis Hall.