This tax season, law students across the country are gearing up for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Programs (VITA) at their schools. The program, which was adopted from the Internal Revenue Service and the ABA Tax Section in association with the Law Student Division, gives law students the opportunity and the tools to help low-income taxpayers and to provide tax counseling for the elderly.
Law students can learn new skills and practice working with clients by taking part in VITA. “The students not only learn client contact and form completion from the experience, they help the community,” says Cristal Robinson, immediate past VITA National Student Director and a 2007 graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
That’s important, Robinson says, because helping the community is a key aspect of being a lawyer. “A student learns how to work within an organization with a community mission, which is very important when building your legal career,” says Robinson.
VITA equips students to offer hands-on tax assistance to elderly and other low-income taxpayers. Participants learn how to prepare schedules 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ, as well as to calculate the earned income credit, lifetime learning credit, Hope credit, and student loan interest deductions.
If your law school has a VITA program, now’s the time to join the last round of volunteers who will assist with this year’s tax season. No prior tax experience is necessary. For more information, visit www.abanet.org/lsd/vita.
