UF Law Students Provide Community Assistance During Tax Season
UF Law has again teamed up with its community partner United Way of North Central Florida to participate in the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) and help thousands of low-income individuals prepare and file their tax returns for free.
This year the UF Law VITA site filed returns for more than 2,000 working families, exceeding the site goal set by the Internal Revenue Service.
Nearly 75 individuals, a combination of UF Law JD and LLM students and students from UF’s Fisher School of Accounting, worked at this year’s VITA site. Andrew C. Slaton (JD 19), and Andrea M. Wagner (JD 18), both served as site coordinators, helping both the public who came in for the assistance and the other site volunteers. Their assistance was critical not only to the organizing and scheduling of activities but also to ensuring compliance with IRS policies and procedures for the operation of the site.
Their efforts saved the community more than $550,000 in paid fees and helped secure $686,029 in earned income tax credits, according to United Way VITA Program Coordinator Marilyn Taylor. The families receiving the support were refunded a combined $1,704,784.
According to the IRS, VITA services are generally available to individuals making less than $54,000 annually, persons with disabilities, or taxpayers with limited English speaking skills.
To learn more about VITA or to find a local site, call 800-906-9887.