Need assistance with your taxes this year? Temple University can help with that. 

For the 17th year, Temple will again offer its free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) to qualifying families and individuals. The program, available at Temple’s Main Campus and the Ambler Campus, is offered at no expense to qualifying individuals and families from the Greater Philadelphia area. 

“Last year was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that we were able to offer the program in an in-person format, and it was really great to get back to that,” said Steve Balsam, a professor of accounting and the coordinator of Temple’s VITA program. “We have been serving several of our clients for many years now, so these are folks that we have come to know and develop strong relationships with. We look forward to continuing to serve them this year, and it is our hope that the VITA program continues to grow.” 

The program, which is sponsored by Temple’s Fox School of Business, is for those with low to moderate incomes as it is open to most families and individuals who make less than $60,000 annually. To qualify for the program, prospective clients must also not own a business or rental property and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.  

Since its inception, Temple’s VITA program has had considerable impact. In the past year alone, the program prepared more than 500 returns and claimed approximately $500,000 in federal and state tax refunds for clients. 

Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 7, through Saturday, April 13, the VITA program will be offered by appointment Wednesday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Main Campus, 1810 N. 13th St., and Saturday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Ambler, 580 Meetinghouse Road. Appointments can be made by calling 215-326-9519 or emailing [click-for-email]. 

In addition to doing the in-person returns, the VITA program will allow clients who can’t make it during those hours to drop off materials at Alter Hall, 1801 Liacouras Walk, Room 360, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary, but clients should be sure to visit fox.temple.edu/vita to know exactly what they need to bring with them to have a return filed. 

The tax returns are prepared by Temple University students and alumni, who work alongside Balsam. 

“This program is both one of the best and longest-running examples of our students engaging with the Philadelphia community,” Balsam said. “It has been remarkably successful, as evidenced by the fact that it survived through the pandemic. It is our hope that it will continue to be a staple of Temple, the Fox School and Department of Accounting for years to come.” 

For additional information about VITA 2024, email [click-for-email].