Income Tax Assistance

QCC is offering the VITA service opportunity as a regular class (4 Credits) class during the spring semester. QCC students earn a regular grade that counts toward their GPA and can use financial aid to pay for the class. The class is “ACC 225 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance”. This class is open to students from any major, as a free elective or a business elective for business majors. Students who wish to take this class must register for it, as they do for regular classes. To become an IRS-certified volunteer under the VITA program, students must attend training sessions (in-class) during the first two weeks of classes at QCC's main Campus and then complete weekly sessions of free tax preparation service at a local VITA site(off campus). Participation requires completion of a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form. The VITA site is open from February to April. All QCC Students who complete this class must attend a recognition ceremony at the end of the tax season.

Students who are currently enrolled at QCC may volunteer and receive college credit through the Career Office. This option allows students to earn four credits through a prior learning assessment.

To receive credit, students must complete a portfolio assessment at the end of the tax season and pay a fee. Financial aid is not available for this option. The credits count as a business elective for Business majors or a free elective for other majors. Students receive a Pass or Fail grade, which does not affect their GPA. The course will appear on the transcript as ACC288 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance.

Students interested in this opportunity must first inform the program coordinator and then meet with a representative from the QCC Career Office.

To qualify for credit, students must study for and pass the IRS certification tests on their own. Study materials are provided. Students must also complete a satisfactory CORI form and follow all program protocols.

Students must volunteer as tax preparers for at least 40 hours during the tax season at the off-campus tax preparation site. They are also expected to attend the program recognition ceremony.

Volunteer participation is based on the site's needs and available space. Priority is given to students enrolled in ACC225.

For more information, contact vita@qcc.mass.edu.

Honors by Contract is an agreement between an honors student, a QCC faculty member, and the Honors Program coordinator. The contract is designed to supplement a non-honors course by involving the student in the VITA program to receive honors credit for a course the student has already taken or is currently taking at QCC. The honors student must complete at least 40 service hours at the VITA site. Students must also complete a satisfactory CORI form and follow all program protocols.

Individuals may complete the service as volunteers. The site relies on support from volunteers from various organizations and colleges in the area each year. Volunteers may select the days they would like to participate.

Volunteer participation is based on the site's needs and available space. Priority will be given to students enrolled in ACC225. All volunteers must follow the program protocols, including completing a CORI form. Volunteers must also study and pass the IRS certification tests on their own. Study materials will be provided.

Our QCC students and volunteers prepare basic tax returns. To be eligible to have your taxes done by our participants, you must have an income of $69,000 or less in the tax year being filed. Because we take our commitment to preparing accurate returns seriously, we do not prepare returns outside our prescribed scope.