USU Eastern Press Release
If you are like most, the April 15 date is dreaded by most Americans. This deadline should not be as despicable for students, low-income individuals or seniors as USU Eastern because for the past 33 years, accounting students have been assisting individuals fill out their tax forms in the Reeves Building accounting lab.
Since 1982, CEU has prepared income taxes for low-income families, seniors and students, and the best part is it’s free. USU Eastern was the first educational institution doing taxes for the students and community. Associate professor Henning Olsen, said, “Eastern is the first, the ‘flag ship’ for long-hand, computer and electronic filing… they need to know we’re contributing.”
The class, income tax preparation, is a two-credit class that gives students a “real world experience” with basic finance knowledge. Olsen said that potential professions the class prepares students for could be in accounting, public relations or as a tax preparer.
“It helps students by giving them their first accounting job,” Olsen said.
The program that they use, Tax Works, is commercial software, used by many professional companies. The students also have to an IRS exam to make sure that they qualify to be a tax preparer. The class and service is also used on the USU Eastern Blanding campus that Olsen oversees.
It isn’t only students who help with the preparations; many of the people in the community help. Hank Savage, for instance, comes every year just to help and make sure that the students understand what they’re doing. Leland Sasser is another community volunteer as well as Annalee Howland, who is Price coordinator to the program. There are eight students and four volunteers who help.
But this offer is not limited only to Price City. Olsen said, “People come from all over the state.” There have been people who have moved out of the state who still mail in their forms to USU Eastern to have them done.
All that needs to be done is take in the W-2 forms from last year’s employers and a tax-practitioner will help with the paperwork. The questions most missed, according to Olsen, are the ones concerning “claiming” and “education credits.”
Olsen said, “Students who pay tuition and fees need to do taxes so they can be reimbursed.” The refunds can be emailed, sent directly to a bank (direct deposit) or to a house address.
How does one take advantage of this offer? Eastern students and low income individuals are encouraged to take their tax forms in to the Reeves Building accounting lab, room 130. The hours are from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Olsen also takes his students to the senior citizens center to help them fill out their tax forms each Wednesday.