UW-Bothell accounting students prepare more than 500 tax returns as part of the VITA Program

Published 4:02 pm Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Twenty students from the Beta Alpha Psi accounting society at the University of Washington, Bothell volunteered their time last spring to prepare tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. In total, the team prepared 534 returns.

The experience gave UW-Bothell students a chance to see their accounting skills help others. Kris Wilson, UW-Bothell Beta Alpha Psi VITA chairperson, says, “Real-world application is sometimes a very different hand than the textbook. Additionally, this opportunity solidified the reasons I want to work as a tax accountant.”

VITA is a free tax-preparation program, sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that is offered to low-income, elderly, disabled and limited English speaking people. In order for UW-Bothell students to participate in the program, they had to be certified by the IRS administration with a test score of 80 percent or greater on an IRS administered test.

UW-Bothell’s Beta Alpha Psi is planning on hosting a VITA site in 2011.