Creighton University students are hosting tax clinics to help community members file taxes as part of the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
The free clinics are available to anyone with an income of $67,000 and below. Students who are part of the federal income tax accounting class participate in the clinic, and they also take a class with the IRS VITA program to prepare them.
Deyna Rouse, assistant professor of practice in the accounting department at Creighton, said around 150 students help with the clinic over the course of the tax season, with about 30 to 40 preparers and 10 to 12 reviewers each week.
“What they take away from it the most is being able to help members of our community and really use the stuff they’re learning in the classroom in a tangible way,” Rouse said.
Rouse recalled volunteering for the clinic during her time as a student in the 1990s. She said students see the difference they are making for clients, especially because most of their clients come from lower levels of income.
“When they’re helping a taxpayer determine that they’re getting a refund that is really going to make a difference for that taxpayer, seeing that real, tangible impact is huge,” Rouse said.
Rouse said almost 600 community members came through the tax clinics last year, and some of them come to the clinic year after year.
Timothy Stuckslager, a senior accounting major, has helped with the clinic for three years — first as a preparer, then a coordinator and now he’s managing people to run it. Stuckslager said while he enjoys learning the math behind taxes, he understands it’s a daunting task for many.
“The big thing I think it helps with is it helps take that weight off their shoulders of having to navigate a system that is currently difficult and has been difficult for I know most of my life, and I’m sure their lives as well,” Stuckslager said.
When a community member comes into the clinic, Stuckslager said they are first greeted by a few Creighton students who will help them determine if they are eligible for the clinic. Then, they fill out a few forms before going into the preparation room with two accounting students to walk through the process and put their information into the preparation software. Finally, it will be reviewed by a senior accounting student.
Stuckslager said he appreciates the hands-on experience of learning the tax code.
“It has helped me develop a deeper appreciation for the Omaha community as well,” Stuckslager said.
Rouse said through the tax clinics, students get to work with clients and learn how to communicate professionally.
“They’re learning how to be compassionate,” Rouse said. “They’re learning how to ask insightful questions to get to the right answers. They’re learning how to put people at ease, and all of those are really important to being good, well-rounded professionals and members of a community.”
The students have held four clinics so far, and have two more, this Saturday and next Saturday, in the Harper Center Ballroom on the Creighton campus.