Houghton University will host a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) tax prep session for residents of Allegany County. This initiative aims to make the tax filing process easier and faster for community members who take advantage of this opportunity.

Under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Accounting, Elianna McHenry, Houghton students will offer free tax return preparation and e-filing services to eligible community members. To qualify, community members must be United States citizens with low to moderate income, generally around $54,000 or less.

This program excites me for many reasons. Just one of the reasons is the ability to serve some underserved residents of our community by helping them work through this often complicated process. Our expertise gives us a unique set of gifts that we ultimately get to share with our community for their benefit!

Elianna McHenry, Assistant Professor of Accounting

This tax prep session not only benefits the community by providing a much-needed service, but it also offers Houghton students a valuable hands-on learning experience. Each student has passed three IRS certification exams and is certified through the IRS VITA program to prepare tax returns within the program’s scope. By participating in the VITA program, students gain practical skills and contribute to the well-being of their fellow community members.

Appointments are being scheduled for Monday evenings from February 12th to April 8th, with time slots available at 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM. For more information about the VITA tax prep session or to schedule an appointment, please contact Professor Elianna McHenry at 585-567-9447 or by email at Elianna.McHenry@Houghton.edu.