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DeSales Accounting Students to Provide Free Tax Preparation Assistance

by Tom McNamara Jan 21, 2022
VITA-Program-2020

For the 22nd consecutive year, junior and senior accounting students from DeSales University will provide tax preparation assistance free of charge through the United States Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

The program runs Monday, January 24, through Friday, April 1, and benefits senior citizens, those with incomes below $54,000, people with disabilities, students, military, and those who speak English as a second language. 

To schedule a VITA appointment, qualified individuals can call (610) 282-1100, ext. 1868. A DeSales student will return the phone call and provide assistance accordingly. Individuals needing assistance should bring all printed tax information and all documents pertaining to federal, state, and local taxes with them to their appointment. All in-person appointments will be conducted with all COVID-related precautions, and visitors to the DeSales campus are required to be masked.

Since it was first offered, DeSales students have completed more than 5,700 tax returns for more than 2,600 Lehigh Valley taxpayers. The program is sponsored by the IRS and supervised by Christopher Cocozza, C.P.A., J.D., LL.M., head of DeSales University’s Division of Business and professor of business. Cocozza has served as VITA coordinator since the program was initiated at DeSales in 2001.