It’s tax season and taxes are to be filed before April 15, which includes students as well.
“Most people have really easy tax returns to prepare,” said assistant professor of business Caroline Chen. “And I’m not saying they should prepare them on their own, but there are many different ways for [students] to prepare them.”
However, not all students are in the mood to prepare or even submit their taxes this month.
Radio, television and film senior Kenzo Chua said that taxes impose extra fees for students that are unnecessary.
“For students, I’m not sure if [students] should get taxed because I feel like they don’t have a lot of money,” said Chua. “I think we should keep in mind how taxes affect students who don’t have a lot of money. Maybe giving a tax break to students would be cool.”
Another problem that Chua said students face when doing their taxes is the confusing process of doing them. He said that he would rely on his parents to teach him how to file taxes if they were in the country.
“I feel like, if someone sat me down and explained it to me, I would be down to learn it,” said Chua. “But for now, I don’t know how to do it, so it’s not in my mind.”
Tax apathy among students is not a new thing to finance sophomore Emilia Korhonen.
“I think there is negative attitudes due to the fact that we don’t really know or see where our tax money goes towards,” said Korhonen. “Also, no one [typically] enjoys doing their taxes.”
But Chen has a solution for students like Chua.
“The other free preparation tax service I forgot to mention is something called Volunteer Income Tax Association, VITA,” said Chen. “And that’s actually sponsored by the internal revenue service.”
VITA volunteer and advanced preparer Liz Sandstorm also recommends students use VITA to file their taxes.
“It’s free to file and someone does it for you, and it’s really easy,” said Sandstorm. “I’d recommend it for all students. It’s awesome.”
VITA volunteers like Sandstorm, who are in school to be a certified advanced preparer, are up to date in doing taxes. She has been doing tax help for five years starting in Humboldt County, and now in Santa Clara County.
According to Sandstorm, VITA also does taxes for foreign students. But Chen recommends foreign students to use Tax Aid.
“If that’s the case, then they would fill out a 10-40NR form and it’s a little different,” said Chen.
According to Chen, Tax Aid is a free tax filing service that can help international students file their taxes.
To make it more accessible to students, Chen strongly recommended students attend tax help sessions in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. library this Saturday, March 23 and April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to a flyer that Chen had put up in the Business Tower, Tax Aid will be there and provide students with a free version of Turbotax.
Students would need to bring their social security card, W-2s, child care provider information, a voided check to direct-deposit, last year’s tax return, if they have it, and a healthcare insurance statement form, if they have it.
