Nearly 50 years ago, California State University, Northridge professor Gary Iskowitz recognized a “growing problem” with questionable tax preparers “scamming” low-income individuals, so he created a program to provide local taxpayers with free tax return preparation by accounting students. He trained a group of his students who agreed to do free tax returns for low-income residents.
“People lined up around the block waiting for us,” Iskowitz told the Journal of Accountancy. The effort grew into a national IRS program called Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA. Cal Poly is one of about 9,500 VITA sites nationwide, providing valuable community service and a powerful Learn by Doing experience for students. VITA helps individuals who generally make no more than $70,000, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers.
The first Cal Poly VITA clinic took place in 1972 and continued off and through 1992 when it then became an annual event. Since 2005, Orfalea College of Business students have prepared nearly 10,000 returns, assisting about 950 San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County residents each year. Student volunteers staff on-campus VITA clinics and, in Santa Maria clinics, work with the United Way of Northern Santa Barbara County. Each student is IRS-certified to prepare returns using basic forms such as 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 540, 540A, 540EZ, and some supporting forms. Orfalea College of Business faculty and volunteer CPAs review and file the returns.
This year’s VITA program is led by faculty members Trisha Daughtrey and Steven Danowitz. The service will also be offered at two off-campus locations in Oceano and Santa Maria from February 7 through March 14.
