What is VITA
We appreciate your interest in the St. Thomas University College of Law Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Our VITA site was founded in 1984, by Professor Mark J. Wolff, making it the oldest pro bono program at STU College of Law. It is operated by IRS-certified law student volunteers who provide their services to qualifying low to moderate income taxpayers in South Florida, free of charge.
Specifically, VITA offers tax preparation assistance to taxpayers earning $58,000 or less, as well as individuals who are not required to file tax returns but are recommended to do so in order to protect against identity theft.
Over the years, we have served thousands of individuals from the local community which has resulted in an excess of $5,000,000 in refunds to taxpayers participating in the program and over 30,000 pro bono hours devoted by students. Since our service is free, our clients get to see every single penny of their refund.
Our mission is simple: to give back to the community while gaining valuable hands-on experience in tax related matters. VITA understands the needs of the diverse community in which we provide our services, which mirrors our diverse student body. As a result, we are lucky enough to be able to provide tax assistance in a variety of languages including English, Spanish, Creole, and Russian to name a few.
Our IRS-certified student volunteers work one-on-one with taxpayers to provide basic tax services such as:
- W-2 Employees Tax Returns;
- Self-Employment Tax Returns;
- Social Security Income;
- Applicable deductions and credits, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Education Credits, which may help to minimize the individuals tax liability.
Additionally, the St. Thomas College of Law sponsors a low-income Tax Clinic for qualifying individuals in need of representation for tax disputes with the IRS or matters before the U.S. Tax Court.
