Central Lakes College accounting students are volunteering
their service for income tax preparation in the region as part of their tax
updates course. Fifteen are
working with clients at sites on the Brainerd campus of CLC as well as in
Pequot Lakes, Pine River, and Walker. They are supervised by personnel in the
IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program facilitated by the American
Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The VITA
Program generally offers free tax help to people who make $50,000 or less and
need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers
provide free basic income tax return preparation to qualified individuals in
local communities. VITA sites are generally located at community and
neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient
locations. Students
are required to complete classroom training that includes numerous simulations
and obtain certification before tackling real tax preparation, said instructor
Salle’ Crutaire. PHOTO: Central Lakes College
accounting student Joni Warzecha of Hillman (left) worked on the income tax
return of CLC dental assisting student Kari Johnson of Fargo in the VITA site
on the Brainerd campus. The free service is provided for individuals within
income guidelines.
Those volunteering at CLC participate during service hours
of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 1-4 p.m. Thursday in Room E201
of the Business and Industry Center.
Other
students are assisting in their home communities, where the service is offered
– Pequot Lakes Library, Thursday, March 8 and 15, noon- 4 p.m.; Pine River
Family Center, Monday 4-8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-noon; Walker City Fire Hall,
Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Students include Levi
Gray, Baxter; Alyssa Herget, Jodi Herron, and Sherri Huchel, Brainerd; Leah
Egerman, East Gull Lake; Dennis Benjamin, Fort Ripley; Melissa Fetters,
Garrison; Joni Warzecha, Hillman; Sara Super, Little Falls; Arielle Shaw,
Onamia; Ann Mindrum, Palisade; Jessi Babb, Shannon Beveridge, and Nicole Lloyd,
Pequot Lakes; and Tammy Hanson, Walker.
“The tax
preparation course at CLC has helped me immensely to learn about the seemingly
frightening world of taxes,” said Lloyd, president of the CLC Accounting Club. “Being
able to prepare taxes hands-on is assisting me to gain the confidence to
prepare tax returns, apply what I have learned throughout the course, while
also being able to help out the community.”
Lloyd, who
through February had completed four tax returns for clients, said appointments
of one hour each allow time to not feel rushed between returns. She noted that
a site coordinator is available to help answer questions as well as making
clients comfortable and welcomed.
Lloyd said
she plans to spend more weekends at the Pine River-Backus Family Center to gain
experience in the tax field.
