Florida National University (FNU) worked with the Internal Revenue System (IRS) for the 2015 Tax return season. As all of us know, the Tax Season runs from January to April of every year. This year, as in previous years, FNU participated in the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program by helping members of the community fill-out their income tax return forms. The VITA Program generally offers free tax help to people who make $52,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation to qualified individuals in local communities.
Students enrolled in FNU’s Business Programs, previously certified by the IRS to provide support to the
community during that period, participated directly in the process of filing taxes. The students who took their Income Tax Accounting Course were trained by specialists in this area to provide a high-quality service when they participated in the taxation period. This year our business students were working at City of Miami – Robert King High Park Site. This site made 283 tax returns which represents approximately $28,300 in savings to our taxpayers. Additionally, the site achieved a total refund amount of $265,607.
The City of Miami recognized VITA volunteers on Wednesday, June 10th, at the United Way of Miami-Dade, and six FNU Accounting Program students: Nidia Torrado, Andrea Ramirez, Beatriz Alonso, Yunieska Tan, Ana Maria Santa Cruz, and Ana B. Suarez were awarded for participating in the 2015 Tax return season.
This collaboration between FNU and the IRS started in 2011 and there is a high expectation from both organizations to continue to their partnership in the years to come.
Written by Professor Ernesto Gonzalez, Ph.D.
Business Department Head
Florida National University
