Tax Season Relief: SUNY Oneonta Students Provide Free Tax Prep for Local Community
By BRIANNA FERGUSONSUNY Institute for Local NewsONEONTA
SUNY Oneonta student interns are once again providing free tax preparation services to the local community through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. They are currently accepting clients for 2025 income tax help on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through April 8.
The program is open to all community members. Tax Day is Wednesday, April 15.
The VITA program allows students to gain professional experience while assisting a wide range of taxpayers, including all SUNY Oneonta staff, University Police Department officers, lower income taxpayers and senior citizens.
Operating as a three-credit course, the program—led by accounting assistant professor Charlene Foley-Deno for the past five years—currently features 42 student interns ranging from freshmen to seniors. Enrollment is not restricted to accounting majors, and no prior tax-filing experience is required to participate. All students participating in the program are IRS-certified volunteers.
The program utilizes a structured workflow to ensure accuracy and professionalism. Depending on their training, students serve as intake specialists, interviewers, coordinators, or quality reviewers. Once a return is drafted, it undergoes a “quality review” process involving double-checking all tax forms.
