If you have trouble figuring out your income taxes — you might not think getting a novice accountant is a good idea either. But a program available in Iowa offers accounting students free of charge to help you make it through the paperwork. University of Northern Iowa accounting professor Dennis Schmidt oversees the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at his school and says you’ll get good advice.He says the students are graduates or seniors who’re getting an accounting degree, and all have had a comprehensive tax course and training in Iowa tax law. Schmidt says the program is a benefit to befuddled tax filers — and it also helps the students.He says it’s a good community service as well as good practical experience working with real people in real situations with real money at stake. He says they get a lot of low and middle income people who take advantage of the service. He says it’s not easy filling out your taxes, no matter what bracket you’re in. He says the system is so complex with all the deductions and exemptions that it’s overwhelming to people without any background in accounting. Schmidt says U-N-I isn’t the only school in the program. He says the service is available at numerous areas around the state at colleges and senior centers. Schmidt says the I-R-S should be able to tell you about free help in your area.
