Student VITA volunteers assist local low-income families to ensure they receive the full tax returns to which they are entitled. While performing this fulfilling service, students also gain valuable practical skills and real-world insight into the United States tax system.
Students who wish to volunteer must:
- Enroll in , a quarter-credit course in the spring semester.
- Pass the online offered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with a score of 80% or higher. A training session to prepare for the test is offered at the beginning of the spring semester before tax season begins.
º¬Ð߲ݴ«Ã½ the EITC
To be an effective VITA volunteer requires an intimate understanding of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Learn more about the EITC with the following resources:
- EITC lecture notes (PDF)
- "The Impact of the Earned Income Tax Credit on Economic Well-Being: A Comparison Across Household Types" (PDF)
- "Earned Income Tax Credit Recipients: Income, Marginal Tax Rates, Wealth, and Credit Constraints" (PDF)
Contacts for Volunteers
Nicole Simpson
Banfi Vintners Chair of Economics; Professor of Economics; Faculty Director, Upstate Institute