A student-run initiative in partnership with the AARP Foundation helps members of the community file their federal and state tax returns.
In the immortal words of Dave Barry: “It’s tax time. I know this because I’m staring at documents that make no sense to me, no matter how many beers I drink.”
If you’re like the famous humor columnist, Elon Law students are here to make things a bit easier – minus the beers, of course.
Elon Law’s student-run Tax Preparation Program has returned this spring to assist members of the community with filing services offered in partnership with the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide Program.
Organized at the downtown Greensboro law school by students David Belisle, Victoria Burgess, Carson Pace and Victoria Waddell, the program will serve upward of 300 people before April’s deadline to file returns with the Internal Revenue Service.
The quartet from the Class of 2022 describe their roles as being “middlemen” for the clients and the tax preparers who volunteer with the AARP Foundation. From coordinating appointments to helping clients gather the correct information – while leaving home any unnecessary paperwork – they facilitate what can be a time-consuming process.
“People will often tell you how thankful they are,” said Burgess, noting that not everyone can afford services like TurboTax or feel comfortable using a computer. “If they don’t have access to the software or it’s really complicated, they’re just so grateful to have someone sit down and help them.”
The program has existed at Elon Law for more than a decade. The students leading current efforts first got involved a year ago as part of a pro bono requirement for their Lawyering, Leadership, and Professionalism course.
All four surpassed their required service hours at a time communities across the United States were navigating the depths of the pandemic. The students described their initial volunteer efforts with the tax preparation program as more than simply assistance with tax preparation.
It offered human connection for residents who often lacked companionship. “Many clients were craving interaction,” Pace recalls. “That was something last year we were able to provide.”
Something else they noticed: though there are limits to using the free service, many clients who sought help were older or lived with modest incomes. What the students started to appreciate were the modern conveniences to which younger generations pay little attention.
“There are a lot of things we take for granted,” Belisle said. “Computer usage. Internet connections. Even email and printers. There are people who don’t have that kind of regular access.”
The students point to the economic benefits for Greensboro and surrounding communities because of their work. “If clients get a refund, they get 100% of that refund. If they owe, they’re paying what the government expects, and not an additional fee for the tax preparation service,” Waddell explained. “It saves them money.”
Appointments are required to utilize the Elon Law Tax Preparation Program. The service will operate through April 14. Learn more by visiting its website.