UK Law Students Offer Free Tax Assistance

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 27, 2010) - The University of Kentucky Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will begin preparing tax returns Monday, Feb. 1, and will continue through Thursday, April 15.  About 30 students from the UK College of Law and the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics will volunteer for the program this year.

[IMAGE1]Doug Michael, associate dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Law, became involved in the program as a law student, and has been leading UK’s VITA program for more than 17 years. Last year, the program assisted about 420 low-income households, households that make $42,000 or less per year, with tax returns and many others who had tax questions or problems.

"People come to us thinking they owe taxes to the government and, with the assistance of our students, they often walk away knowing they will instead be getting a refund," said Michael. "They are always very grateful and that's how we get paid, by seeing their gratitude."

The free program often marks the first time law students step out of a hypothetical classroom scenario and into a situation where their knowledge can make a difference in the life of someone who comes to them for help, Michael said.

"The process seems easy to law students, but when they see it through the eyes of someone who does not have the same skills or experience in preparing a return, the students see a taxpayer's desperation and realize what an impact they have made when that individual walks away with a substantial refund coming to them," Michael said.

The students must complete 12 to 18 hours of federal income tax courses and must pass two tax certification tests from the Internal Revenue Service. They receive no course credit for their work.

The VITA program begins Monday, Feb. 1 and runs through Thursday April 15 (except Spring Break week, March 16-20) in room 47 of the UK College of Law. Volunteers will be available Monday through Fridays from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon until 5 p.m.

For more information, visit the UK VITA Web site. All appointments must be scheduled online.

Assistance is also available at 11 other sites in Lexington through the Central Kentucky Economic Empowerment Project (CKEEP). For information on locations and hours of other sites and to make an appointment, call the United Way hotline at 211 or 313-LINK or visit the Web site at www.kentuckypovertylawcenter.org/TaxSites.html