Over 400 KU students and community members are expected to seek assistance from the KU Law School’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) this year. As the program continues to grow, the KU School of Business has taken a larger role in helping the Law School provide free e-filing for students, low income and elderly taxpayers.
This year, KU Law School Associate Dean Stephen Mazza chose a Business student to lead the VITA program. Master of Accounting student Jerrod Commerford worked closely with Mazza to plan the project, recruit, train, and schedule volunteers.
“Jerrod has excellent organizational skills and his work with the program should make everything go much more smoothly than it normally does,” Mazza said. “He was the right person for the job.”
Commerford said he enjoys working alongside the members of another professional school at KU, and already has a sense of how important this program is for many in our community.
“We provide a free service for students and low income families that they otherwise would have to pay for,” Commerford said. “Everyone who comes in is very appreciative of what we do for them.”
Individual taxpayers can receive help from KU student volunteers both on-campus and in community locations from February 18 – April 15. Last year, 30 Tax Club members performed over 300 hours of service.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Schedule:
Monday, February 18 - Tuesday, April 15
Mondays: 6:00 - 8:45 p.m., Green Hall
Tuesdays: 1:00 - 3:45 p.m., Penn House
Wednesdays: 3:00 - 5:45 p.m., Green Hall
Thursdays: 3:00 - 4:45 p.m., Ballard Community Center
5:00 - 6:45 p.m., Lawrence Housing Authority
Saturdays: 10:00 - 11:45 a.m., Green Hall
Pictured in photo: Master of Accounting student Jerrod Commerford assists School of Business undergraduate Hadi Atani with his paperwork at a VITA clinic on February 20.
