Bozeman Magazine

Accounting students from Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship are offering free help preparing tax returns for MSU students and individuals who made less than $58,000 last year.

The 2017 help sessions will be held on the MSU campus in Jabs Hall 215 on the following Mondays, Wednesday and Saturday: Feb. 13, 22, 27; March 6, 20, 25, 27; and April 3. Monday and Wednesday sessions will be held from 5:30-7 p.m., while the Saturday session will be held from 9:30-11 a.m. No appointment is necessary, but sign-up sheets will be posted at 5 p.m. before each Monday and Wednesday session and at 9 a.m. before the Saturday session.

Tax assistance for international students and employees begins Wednesday, Feb. 22.

At the sessions, upper-division and graduate accounting students will be available to prepare federal and state income tax returns and answer tax questions. Free electronic filing will be available for most 1040 forms.

Individuals who are interested in free tax preparation assistance should bring their 2016 W-2 forms, Forms 1095-A, B or C (Affordable Care statements), other tax documents, a picture ID, social security cards for each person listed on the return and copies of their 2015 tax returns, if available. International students and employees should also bring their passports and visas.

The student accounting volunteers are part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program, which the Internal Revenue Service established to assist people who may find it difficult to pay for tax preparation services. The program also gives accounting students practical experience.

Each student accounting volunteer has passed an IRS tax preparation exam, completed at least one comprehensive tax course, received specific training related to common tax issues and has access to a variety of federal and state reference materials. The sessions are sponsored by the MSU Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and Beta Alpha Psi, an honorary organization for financial information students and professionals.

For more information, email vita@montana.edu.