Rutgers Law–Camden Students Help Hundreds File Taxes for Free

For those whose every day is a financial struggle, Tax Day can be especially daunting. Affording accounting services may not be feasible at all and some commercial preparers prey on filers with low-to-moderate incomes, those where returns might be needed most.

“In 2014, our pro bono volunteers helped recover over $500,000 for Camden families.”

 

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) project, students at Rutgers Law–Camden are working to address this issue for hundreds of New Jersey residents this tax season by preparing and filing tax returns, including costs that relate to new Affordable Care Act claims, at no charge. Sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, the project provides volunteers with comprehensive training to deliver this highly valuable service, which is now underway at Rutgers–Camden and available through April 11.

“Taxes tend to send people reeling, breaking out in a cold sweat, or at least plumbing the depths of frustration and boredom. VITA and its volunteers help people that could use a helping hand to navigate the variety of possibilities that a tax return can create,” says third-year Rutgers–Camden law student Matt Lewis, who serves as a project supervisor. “It is also great for ensuring that taxpayers are able to get all the credits that they are eligible for, as well as their whole refund.” Lewis’s prior involvement in VITA through AmeriCorps was what ultimately led him to enroll in law school. This marks his seventh tax season with the pro bono project.

Lewis and other Rutgers Law–Camden volunteers help clients complete their income tax returns on time, or early, and work to identify as many deductions, exemptions, and credits as possible. “As an IRS-sponsored service staffed by Rutgers Law student volunteers, we are a reputable and safe harbor for working families in Camden,” he says.

According to Jill Friedman, associate dean for pro bono and public interest programs at Rutgers Law–Camden, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) bring critical refunds back to Camden families living in poverty.

“Recent studies show that the EITC and CTC promote child health and nutrition; result in better educational outcomes for kids whose families receive them; and nationally have lowered the child poverty rate by fully 6.3 percentage points,” notes Friedman.  “In 2014, our pro bono volunteers helped recover over $500,000 for Camden families.”

The project also provides law students with ample opportunities to sharpen their interviewing, counseling, and conflict resolution skills.

“By preparing tax returns, volunteers are able to see the personal income tax code at work. Regular involvement for a few years further elaborates on this as new tax changes are brought into play and limits adjusted,” continues Lewis. “The process also allows volunteers to work in close contact with clients, which develops interviewing skills and refining bedside manner.”

For Lewis, VITA isn’t just allowing him to bolster his resume or provide a highly valuable service to those in need; it has cultivated his overall positive impression of the legal profession.

“The skills acquired from a legal education are in great demand by many that cannot afford them or don’t know where to go,” he says. “Through VITA I have met many talented, caring, and driven lawyers and law students who brought these skills to bear on the needs of others, which has made proud to be associated with the profession.”

Since Jan. 27, the Rutgers School of Law–Camden’s VITA project will be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning at 4 p.m. and on Saturdays beginning at 1 p.m. through April 11.  The site operates on a first-come/first-served basis and can only serve a limited number of clients each session.

For more information about the VITA program at the Rutgers School of Law–Camden, contact Associate Director for Pro Bono and Public Interest Programs Pam Merstock-Wolfe at pmertsoc@camden.rutgers.edu or 856-225-6406.