Goodwill Industries and NIU’s College of Business have teamed up with the DeKalb County Creating Assets, Savings and Hope Coalition (CA$H) to provide low-income residents in the DeKalb and Sycamore area to have their taxes prepared free of charge by NIU accountancy students.

Britta Anderson, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services coordinator for Goodwill Industries, said to qualify for the free tax preparation services. One has to be single with an income of $25,000 or less or part of a household with an income of $50,000 or less. Anderson said a “household” could include just a husband and a wife.

Anderson said those who qualify can come in to Goodwill Industries in DeKalb on Thursdays between noon and 8 p.m.

Appointments will be available until April 12th.

Jim Young, chair of the accountancy department, said the department has been preparing tax returns for students and low-income individuals for over 15 years under the VITA Program. Young said it was Brad Cripe, assistant professor of accountancy, who had idea to create a partnership with Goodwill to expand the impact of their tax services.

Cripe said there are a number of reasons why NIU is participating in this year’s IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.

“First, the service provides free tax assistance to people who need it most. Low to moderate income taxpayers who may have trouble preparing tax returns on their own or who may not have access to other free tax preparation resources,” Cripe said. “Otherwise, these taxpayers would be forced to rely on paid preparers.”

According to Cripe, NIU has had a VITA program for many years but this is the first year they are partnering with Goodwill Industries.

Anderson said it was an easy decision to partner with NIU for this tax assistance program.

“We met with Brad Cripe and developed the site,” Anderson said. “We knew [NIU] had the knowledge and experience, and we can bring the logistics for site. All our volunteers are from NIU.”

NIU accountancy students gain a unique and valuable experience by participating in the tax assistance program.

“The VITA site allows our students their first opportunity to prepare returns for real clients under the guidance of trained and experienced supervisors, so they can gain valuable experience before graduation,” Cripe said. “It provides NIU accountancy students the opportunity to give back to the DeKalb/Sycamore community through the performance of a much-needed community service project.”

Appointments can be scheduled at Goodwill, 1037 S. Annie Glidden Road, by calling 815-494-2936.