For students who have problems filing taxes, help is here. The Internal Revenue Service and NIU’s accountancy department are sponsoring the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which offers students help with taxes.

Junior accounting majors Eric Krone and Amy Ehlinger are this year’s program coordinators.

Before helping students, members of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program have to take a test to ensure that they are giving correct information to students, Krone said.

Krone said there initially were 25 to 30 people involved in the program.

“It would be great for people that have no idea about filing taxes,” junior anthropology major Evan Mallon said.

Students also need to bring their W-2 forms and information about any expenses they think they can deduct, Krone said.

He said normally there are four to six volunteer students to help students with their taxes and complete their returns.

“It would usually take about 15 minutes to complete regular basic taxes,” Krone said.

If the volunteers come across any problems, they are referred to associate accountancy professor James Young, who gets back to the students to ensure the information is correct, Krone said.

“It will be a great way to learn and develop a way to do my income taxes on my own,” said Lakeysha Johnson, a sophomore pre-elementary education major.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

Starts today at Founders Memorial Library’s lobby

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays

1 to 6 p.m. Fridays