Felician University offered free tax assistance to area residents including senior citizens, low-income residents, persons with disabilities, and taxpayers with limited English-speaking skills as part of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

Professor Joseph Lizza brought VITA, a nation-wide program, to Felician University in 2011, and says about 125 to 150 taxpayers were helped this tax season due to the program.

Professor Lizza and his Accounting Team

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was held differently this year. Clients were able to drop off their tax documents to the university throughout February and March, so they did not have to enter the building. The participation of Felician’s accounting students remained steady, which enabled them to learn and become a part of a professional atmosphere and culture.

The VITA program is an Internal Revenue Service initiative designed to support free tax preparation for the underserved through partner organizations. VITA helps students see the importance of serving others within the framework of the Franciscan Values including Respect for Human Dignity and Service. “The VITA program is about more than just accounting because it gets right into the Felician mission. It’s about helping others and really doing what the mission is about,” Professor Lizza stated.