South Texas College’s longest-standing community events, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant program for taxpayers, returns this year after a two-year hiatus.
The program has long assisted Rio Grande Valley community residents by offering free tax preparation for those who make $60,000 or less. People with disabilities or limited English-speaking taxpayers also qualify.
The STC VITA office at the Pecan campus, Building T, Room 1.702, is now open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until March 10. Appointments are required.
“This is all about giving our students real-world experience. It’s the reason STC takes this on every year. We are looking for ways to get students into a professional office environment, get them trained and ready to assist with income tax services in the community. It’s about working together as a team,” said STC Accounting Professor John Wilson, who has been the faculty advisor for the program since he began at the college more than 17 years ago. “This is open to anybody who wants to volunteer. Our faculty is also available for guidance and so forth, but mostly we want the students to do it. We take students from any discipline, not just necessarily business or tax students.”
The IRS manages all VITA programs, including the one at STC with the help of the United Way. IRS-certified volunteers who have completed training and can provide tax counseling also staff the sites.
VITA has operated at the college since its inception in 1993, according to Wilson.
On average, STC’s VITA site processes hundreds of tax returns. In 2019, volunteers helped file more than 500 tax returns for residents.
VITA volunteer and incoming Site Coordinator Nelly Terrazas is a former STC student with the college’s Dual Credit Program. Upon graduating from PSJA North High School, she received her associate degree in Education before transferring to a four-year university.
Terrazas said she began her journey with VITA as an appointment scheduler.
“The good thing is that we have a lot of volunteers who are here to help. This truly benefits our community. All of us are excited to get trained and get started,” Terrazas said. “This is not what I do in my regular day-to-day, but my sister works with United Way, so this started when I began helping her out. But overall, to help people who are not familiar with income tax and giving them more knowledge about what it means to fill out their tax forms is what I look forward to in my role.”
STC Accounting student Aylin Salinas is starting her second semester at STC. She says she jumped at the chance to gain experience in the field.
“I just think it’s nice to be able to help the community and give them some knowledge they might not have had prior,” Salinas said. “I grew up in a low-income family and I saw how many people didn’t understand taxes, and they would go somewhere and often pay more than they should have. It’s nice to know there are some free resources here on campus that we can offer the community.”
The United Way handles all appointments for the VITA service. Those who would like to schedule an appointment may call the United Way appointment line at 956-607-9030 or visit myfreetaxes.com.