Geneva′s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides aid for any families with basic returns. The program is aimed at those with low-income and the elderly within the Beaver Falls community. Participants must either make under $52,000 annually or be over 60 years old in order to qualify.
Needed information includes W-2 and 1099 forms, information of other income, all deductions and credits, a copy of last year′s tax return, proof of account for direct deposit or refund, and social security cards. For married couples filing jointly, both spouses must be present. For further information on what to bring, contact VITA at 724-847-6463 and leave a message.
The program helps undergraduate Geneva students apply the tax principles learned in their Accounting 357 Taxation course, while providing high-quality tax returns to the less privileged. VITA is also a reflection of Geneva′s stated mission to engage students in an "academically excellent, Christ-centered education."
"The overall teaching of Reformation thinkers is that our work matters to God, and no matter how so-called mundane those tasks may be, it matters," states business professor Dr. Gary Vander Plaats, who acts as the site coordinator for VITA.
He allows his students the hands-on role of conducting the tax returns. Typically, one student completes a tax return, and then gives it to a second student for a review. Finally, a Pittsburgh-located IRS agent fact checks all the tax forms.
The Beaver Falls community has responded well in the past: "We did enjoy getting to know them a bit," student volunteer Jessica Hall says. "They were always extremely grateful."
Any families or individuals who qualify for the VITA program are welcome and encouraged to contact the program today and schedule their free tax service. To do so, call 724-847-6463 and leave a message.
Geneva College invites students to accept the challenge of an academically excellent, Christ-centered and affordable education. Offering nearly 40 undergraduate majors, Adult Degree Programs with fully online and campus-based options, and seven graduate degrees, programs are recognized for their high quality. U.S. News & World Report ranks Geneva as a Top 10 Best Value in the North Region with one of the Top 100 engineering programs in the nation. Adhering to the inerrancy of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God′s word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today′s world.
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