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Roscoe Nankervis ‘25 loves crunching numbers - in fact he plans on making a career out of it.
But what this Accounting and Finance major didn't realize was how much of a difference he could make in his community while still a college student by assisting folks with a task they often dread: tax preparation.
Nankervis is one of the 27 Captains taking part in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), which has offered local residents free assistance in preparing and filing their income taxes each year for more than a decade.
“It feels great to help people who come into our office,” said Nankervis, also president of the CNU Accounting Club. “Most people we see come in with very low expectations of hearing good news, so it feels incredible to be about to show them that they are getting a refund. It can be difficult to let people know they owe money, but the vast majority of people are very kind and thankful for our program.”
The VITA program is housed in a storefront near campus at 9 Hidenwood Shopping Center. The location allows easy access for people to drop in for tax assistance. The tax prep office, manned by Luter School of Business students, opened in February and will operate from noon - 6 p.m. every Wednesday until April 9.
The service is geared toward taxpayers with incomes of $70,000 or less. The student volunteers, all accounting majors, must pass an online VITA class, which gives them IRS certification to prepare basic returns. The students work in teams of two and are supervised by Mary Scott, an instructor of Accounting and head of the VITA program at CNU.
The experience is meant to elevate students’ real-world skill sets, making them more marketable after graduation. It also helps students to build strong community connections.
“Our students benefit in a few different ways,” Scott said. “They get to apply the knowledge from their taxation course. They also get real-world experience preparing taxes. But one of the biggest benefits is they get to interact with the community. These soft skills are crucial to their future careers.”
The VITA program saves taxpayers a lot of money, while also creating goodwill.
“The taxpayers who come into our office are so appreciative of the service our students provide,” Scott said. “Going to a firm to prepare their taxes could cost them several hundred dollars. Preparing them for free can make a difference in some people’s lives. It’s a two-way street. The community benefits from our service and our students benefit from interacting with the taxpayers and applying their knowledge.”
For Nankervis, who has been part of VITA for two years, it has been both rewarding and educational. He plans to take what he has learned into his first job, which will be as an auditor at Ernst & Young in Northern Virginia.
“It has increased what I am comfortable dealing with in the accounting world,” he said. “Before, I was a bit nervous when it came to talking about taxes and tax returns with those around me, but I have come out of VITA with genuine knowledge and experience dealing with tax forms.”
Anyone interested in having students prepare their taxes should bring the following documents:
- Photo identification Social Security cards for taxpayers and dependents
- Birth dates for taxpayer and spouse, and any dependents on the tax return.
- Wage and earning statements, such as Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
- Form 1095 A (if applicable)
- A copy of last year’s tax returns (if available)
- If using direct deposit, bank routing numbers and account numbers
- Other relevant information about income and expenses, such as total paid for daycare and daycare provider’s identifying number
If filing a joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.