Lander College to Provide Free Tax Preparation Assistance
Gabe Kahn
212-463-0400 x5404
gabriel.kahn@touro.edu
New York, N.Y. – Need help preparing your tax returns?
A team of ten seniors from the Lander College of Arts and Sciences accounting program for CPA candidates will prepare and submit 2012 personal tax returns for eligible participants as part of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. As volunteers the students have undergone a rigorous training program that includes completing specialized IRS tax courses and passing the required IRS examination.
The program will run for the following five Sundays at Touro’s Lander College campus, 1602 Avenue J: March 10, March 17, March 24, April 7, April 14. Hours of operation are 11 A.M. to 3 P.M.
“The mission of Touro College is to prepare men and women for professional careers that are compatible with their growth as Torah Jews,” said Dean Robert Goldschmidt. “Their participation in the VITA program reflects Touro’s other goal: serving the community.”
No appointment is necessary. Individuals can visit the Touro campus with their supporting tax documents and their tax returns will be processed through a user-friendly, efficient, computer-based tax return preparation system. This includes tax preparation by an IRS certified tax preparer, oversight by a quality reviewer and on-site electronic submission to the IRS. Touro alumna Esther Robinson is the site coordinator and Professor Shammai Bienenstock, who teaches taxation in the college’s accounting and business department and is a former administrative law judge for the IRS, will provide additional advice.
Rabbi Dr. Barry Bressler, dean of undergraduate business, said, “Touro has once again taken the initiative in using the expertise of its accounting students to serve our local community in Brooklyn. The VITA program is another example of the applied experience that our students take with them into the professional workplace.”
There are several advantages for those participating in the VITA program.
“Low- to moderate-income individuals and families who qualify will have their taxes completed and filed free of charge,” Professor Bienenstock explained. “Also, Touro students who volunteer will gain invaluable hands-on experience.”
The outstanding record of Touro College’s accounting graduates is well-known. The college is currently ranked third in New York State in percentage of students passing all four parts of the CPA exam at their first sitting. In addition, Touro holds the highest rank among all New York State colleges in average CPA test scores of repeat test takers.
The VITA program is being offered in conjunction with Touro’s Career Services Department. For more information, please call (718) 252-7800 x284 or x252.
The Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush, with separate divisions for men and women, is located at Avenue J and East 16th Street in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. The school offers more than 20 majors and pre-professional options, including honors programs in biology, health sciences, psychology and political science. More than 1,000 students are enrolled each semester at the campus. Encompassing more than 90,000 square feet, the campus was inaugurated in the spring of 1995. In September 1997, the New York State Education Department officially designated this site as The Flatbush Branch Campus of Touro College.
