Loyola University Maryland students to offer free tax preparation services

Loyola University Maryland will offer free tax preparation services now through early April at the Loyola Clinical Centers located at 5911 York Road in Belvedere Square. IRS-certified student volunteers from Loyola will prepare and e-file tax returns at no cost to qualifying taxpayers in the Baltimore community.

This is the second year Loyola will host a site offering free tax preparation services. The services are made possible through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program, sponsored by the nonprofit Creating Assets, Savings and Hope (CASH) Campaign of Maryland. Loyola has participated in the program for many years, but in the past, students volunteered at other sites.

“One of the most beneficial aspects of Loyola’s VITA site is its location, which provides proximity to underserved communities, namely the York Road corridor. It is one small step toward realizing greater socioeconomic equality,” said JP Krahel, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting at the Sellinger School of Business.

In 2019, Loyola’s VITA site prepared more than 200 returns and facilitated more than $300,000 in refunds to members of the local community. The student-run site is managed by site coordinators Morgan Davis and Eric Long, both graduate students in Loyola’s Master of Accounting program. They will supervise more than 30 student volunteers, who will spend an estimated 565 total hours at the site.

“It’s a great way for students to implement accounting practices and give back to the community in a way that makes a difference in people’s lives,” Long said. It is his second year as a site coordinator.

Davis said, “The experience opened my eyes to how an accounting degree can make a really big social impact. I hope the program continues to grow and we help even more people.” Davis volunteered last year and said she was excited to return this year in a managerial role.

The free tax return services are available to people who make $56,000 or less, people with disabilities and people with limited English language skills who need assistance preparing their tax returns. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 410-234-8008, or go to www.bmorefreetaxes.org.

Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management provides business education rooted in the Jesuit tradition of emphasizing strong ethical leadership, commitment to social responsibility and a global perspective. With more than 60 faculty members and 2,000 students, the Sellinger School offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. Part-time and full-time MBAs as well as Master of Accounting programs are delivered on campuses in Baltimore, Columbia, and Timonium, Maryland.