PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (April 3, 2024) – Prairie View A&M University’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program organized by a team of College of Business faculty, staff and students, is back, providing free tax preparation services to individuals and families in need this tax season. Operated in collaboration with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, VITA aims to assist low-to-moderate-income households who may not have access to affordable tax preparation services.
“Community service and societal impact are the inspirations for doing a program like this,” said Dr. Marvin Williams, coordinator of the PVAMU VITA program, which is nearly two decades old. “This program gives Prairie View A&M University the opportunity to assist and serve the community around it with a vital and much-needed service.”
Prairie View A&M University remains dedicated to supporting its community by providing accessible and reliable tax assistance services through the PVAMU VITA program for people with an income level of $64,000 or lower. Services may also be available to residents outside of Waller County.
“This is a no-cost service for eligible members of the community to have their income tax returns prepared in a professional manner,” said Dr. Williams. “While VITA sites are primarily designed to serve their immediate community—Waller County and the Prairie View campus—we will also serve eligible persons outside of these areas if we are contacted for assistance.”
While VITA focuses primarily on preparing 2023 Federal Income Tax Returns for eligible members of the community, the program offers prior year Federal Income Tax Return preparation upon request for eligible individuals.
It also provides services for preparing Amended Federal Income Tax Returns and, in rare instances, State Tax Returns for eligible members who have taxable income from a state outside of Texas. Furthermore, the program offers tax advice and tax planning services in limited cases, as deemed appropriate.
“The initial response of the community to the availability of this service has been good, but greater awareness of the availability of this service is much needed to serve many more members of the community,” said Dr. Williams, who is a certified public accountant.
Ramona Morris, PVAMU administrative associate III, became involved in the program through an invitation extended by Dr. Munir Quddus, dean of the PVAMU College of Business. He recognized her extensive experience of 18 years in tax preparation. Dr. Quddus believed her expertise would be valuable to the site directors.
Morris began involvement in the program during her first year of employment with the College of Business in 2022, and she has since continued to assist and provide support wherever necessary.
“I like this program because I have always felt the need to help anyone that needs help with taxes whether I’m answering questions or preparing forms—it’s just something I love to do,” said Morris.
Student Volunteers
The PVAMU VITA program’s mission is to provide free, high-quality income tax preparation assistance to eligible residents of Waller County. Through this community outreach initiative, the College of Business aims to fulfill its commitment to societal impact by offering experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students while meeting the tax-related needs of the community.
All students are welcome to volunteer for the program. Each volunteer must undergo training, which includes passing tests on procedural standards, intake procedures for clients, and either basic or advanced tax knowledge, depending on their level. A training session is conducted to support students in successfully passing the tax knowledge tests.
Volunteer students acquire practical experience in tax return preparation, witnessing the entire process firsthand. This includes conducting client interviews, examining tax documents and materials, inputting pertinent tax information into the utilized software, and engaging in the review of tax services provided. Throughout this process, they also interact with fellow volunteer students, fostering collaboration and skill development.
“This gives volunteer students real-world practical experience in a professional work environment,” said Dr. Williams.
What to Bring
Those interested in utilizing the VITA program’s services are required to bring certain documents for tax preparation, including photo identification for all taxpayers, prior year income tax returns (if available), Social Security cards for taxpayers and dependents, and relevant income forms such as W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s.
Additionally, clients should bring documents pertaining to deductible expenses, bank account information for electronic refunds, and any other relevant financial documentation.
Confidentiality is a top priority for the PVAMU VITA program, with all tax preparers committed to maintaining the strictest confidentiality requirements, equivalent to those of certified public accountants (CPAs), attorneys, and other tax professionals.
“Only approved volunteers have access to the tax software where confidential information is stored,” said Dr. Williams. “Tax documents and other items of the clients are not stored onsite and are returned to the clients upon completion of their tax returns. The intent is to always complete the clients’ tax returns while they are present and return all tax documents and other items to the clients upon the completion of their tax returns.”
When, Where
Provided by the PVAMU College of Business, the VITA program is located on the third floor of the Agriculture and Business Multipurpose Building in room 332. The site is open for appointments and walk-in service on designated days. The schedule for the VITA site is as follows:
Thursdays: 3 – 7 p.m.
- April 4, 11
Fridays: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- April 5, 12
Saturdays: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- April 6, 13
Individuals seeking assistance are encouraged to schedule an appointment to ensure efficient service, although walk-in clients will also be accommodated during the specified hours of operation.
For more information about the VITA program or to schedule an appointment, individuals can contact Dr. Williams at mvwilliams@pvamu.edu or by calling 936-261-9275. Detailed information about the program, including frequently asked questions and required documents, can also be found on the PVAMU website.
“The plan for the future is to always provide the community service and have a societal impact on the immediate community through the Prairie View VITA program,” said Dr. Williams. “Experiences learned each season are used to determine the best ways to expand and improve the services offered by the program.”
By Kerry Laird
-PVAMU-