Bowie State University News March 9, 2016 Bowie State Students Trained as Tax Preparers Offer Free Service Low-income Individuals Receive Free Tax Help at Bowie State Tax season is in full swing, but not everyone can afford to pay for professional tax preparation services. Six Bowie State University accounting students trained as certified tax preparers are volunteering to provide a much-needed service to local low-income residents. The BSU College of Business is an official site for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program<http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/jsp/vita.jsp?zip=20715&lat=38.9860548&lng=-76.74519499999996&radius=5>, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiative to provide free tax preparation services for underserved taxpayers<https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers> who generally make $54,000 or less. The students completed an IRS online certification program to volunteer at the BSU site. "They are just as qualified to work on your taxes as a professional from a tax preparation firm," said Dr. Bernard McNeal, a Bowie State assistant professor and certified public accountant (CPA), who leads the campus-based site. Taxpayers contact the BSU Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics<http://www.bowiestate.edu/academics-research/colleges/college-of-business/departments/accounting-finance-and-econs/> at 301-860-3621 to set up an appointment. Students will then meet with the client for an intake interview and receive their tax documents. Working with BSU accounting faculty who are CPAs, the students prepare the tax return - at no charge to the client. Dr. McNeal reintroduced the VITA program to the campus a year ago, after it lay dormant for a few years, to provide a way for students to give back to their local community. "The students get some hands-on experience to bridge the gap between their tax course and the real world," he said. "It also allows them to be able to put this experience on their resumes - they are actually IRS certified tax preparers - and it gives them valuable work experience. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-592-4820 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.