EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is partnering up with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for the 10th year to provide free tax preparation services in El Paso.
UTEP students, mainly accounting majors, who are part of the VITA program gain real-world tax experience by providing tax preparation to qualifying families to “increase economic independence and quality of life in the El Paso region,” UTEP said in a news release.
“It’s an honor for UTEP to participate in a program that helps our region so much and that is also a transformative experience for our students,” Sarah Robertson, an assistant professor of accounting and information systems at UTEP, said. Robertson has been running the UTEP tax preparation site for three years.
Students will be assisting taxpayers from 1 to 4 p.m. on Fridays from Jan. 24 through April 11 at the GECU Terrace at the UTEP Sun Bowl Stadium, located on the 3rd floor of 2701 Sun Bowl Dr.
The office will be closed on Feb. 28, March 14 and March 28.
In addition, the office will be open to foreign scholars only on March 21, April 4 and April 11.
VITA services are available to individuals whose income falls below $65,000 and who do not own virtual assets such as bitcoin, UTEP said.
No appointments are required, and walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Returns are prepared, reviewed and e-filed on-site in a process that can take roughly 60-90 minutes, UTEP said.
According to UTEP, the VITA program is funded by a grant from the IRS and is administered by GECU to help prevent fraud and ensure taxpayers receive accurate returns.
“Last semester while I was taking Professor Robertson’s federal income tax course, she told us about the VITA program, which offers course credit hours,” accounting senior Mario Monroy Jr. said. “It’s a great thing to add to your resume since you are gaining experience doing others’ taxes.”
According to Robertson, the VITA program completed 13,434 tax returns in 2023, assisting in saving the community roughly $27.8 million in tax preparation fees.
“One of my cousins was the victim of a predatory tax preparer, and the whole ordeal caused her a significant amount of stress,” accounting senior and student volunteer Eduardo Torres said. “The VITA program provides a vital service to the people most vulnerable to these predatory tax preparers, and we strive to give our clients the best service possible.”
“Project VITA provides protection for taxpayers from fraudulent and exploitative practices by people who don’t really understand the tax system,” Robertson said. “The opportunity for future financial professionals to gain real-world experience is an added bonus.”
For more information and what to bring, you can visit the Free Tax Assist website.
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