Accounting Students to Provide Free Tax Preparation Assistance
Junior and senior accounting students from DeSales University will provide tax preparation assistance free of charge to senior citizens, those with incomes below $54,000, people with disabilities, students, military, and those who speak English as a second language.
The DeSales University VITA program will begin Monday, February 15, through Friday, March 26. The program is part of the United States Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
This marks the 21st consecutive year that DeSales students have participated in the program. Since it was first offered, DeSales students have completed more than 5,100 tax returns for more than 2,400 Lehigh Valley taxpayers.
To schedule a VITA appointment, individuals can call (610) 282-1100, ext. 1868. A DeSales student will return the phone call and provide assistance accordingly. Individuals needing assistance should bring all printed tax information and all documents pertaining to federal, state, and local taxes with them to their appointment.
All in-person appointments will be conducted with all COVID-related precautions, and visitors to the DeSales campus are required to be masked.
The program is sponsored by the IRS and supervised by Dr. Christopher R. Cocozza, division head of DeSales University’s Division of Business and professor of business. Cocozza has served as VITA coordinator at DeSales since the program was initiated at DeSales in 2001. Cocozza holds a bachelor's in accounting and law degree from Fordham University and a master's of law from New York University.
