MONMOUTH COLLEGE
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) RESULTS
|
YEAR |
(3) FEDERAL RETURNS PREPARED |
(4) STATE RETURNS PREPARED |
(5) OTHER ASSIST |
TOTAL PREPARED/ ASSISTED |
% ∆ FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
FEDERAL RETURNS E-FILED |
STATE RETURNS E-FILED |
TOTAL RETURNS E-FILED |
% Δ FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
# OF STUDENTS |
# OF COMPUTERS |
|
2005 |
271 |
265 |
6 |
542 |
13% |
198 |
192 |
390 |
38% |
12 |
3 |
|
2004
|
232
|
236 |
10 |
478 |
55% |
143 |
139 |
282 |
50% |
15 |
3 |
|
(2) 2003
|
150 |
152 |
7 |
309 |
8% |
97 |
91 |
188 |
23% |
17 |
2 |
|
2002 |
146 |
137
|
2 |
285 |
16% |
79 |
74 |
153 |
56% |
19 |
2 |
|
2001 |
123 |
123 |
0 |
246 |
31% |
49
|
49 |
98 |
14% |
20 |
2 |
|
(1) 2000 |
94
|
94 |
0 |
188 |
Not Avail. |
43 |
43 |
86 |
Not Avail. |
Not Avail. |
2 |
Note: If we make the conservative estimate that each prepared return would have cost the taxpayer $30.00 (not including any peripheral schedules, which many of our taxpayers have (such as Earned Income Credit and Schedule A)), and that each e-filed return would have cost the taxpayer $20, the savings to the community can be estimated to be $24,060.
Why are e-filed returns less than prepared returns? The main answer to that question is that when a taxpayer does not bring social security cards for all individuals listed on the return to the tax session, we cannot e-file the return (internal control). The taxpayer may come back later with the required documentation. However, we will still prepare a return for the taxpayer to mail if the taxpayer does not come forth with this documentation. Invalid social security numbers are the main reason for e-file rejects.
(1) Indicates the first year of e-filing at Monmouth College.
(2) Indicates the year in which Monmouth College began transmitting its own returns. In previous years, the e-file set-ups were mailed to our VITA coordinator in Springfield who transmitted the returns. Any refund that the taxpayer is expecting is sped up immensely by having MC transmit the return the day that it is prepared.
Also, indicates the year in which Monmouth College became an international student VITA site. A number of the VITA students volunteer to become separately certified to assist foreign student taxpayers.
(3) The federal return would be the best indicator of “families” assisted during the tax season. A family could be a single taxpayer, a married couple, or single/married taxpayer(s) with dependents.
(4) State returns are mostly Illinois. However, we occasionally did prepare other state returns. In some cases, a taxpayer needed to file in more than one state. However, we are only set up to e-file Illinois returns. Other state returns must be mailed by the taxpayer.
(5) Other assistance consists of: answering tax questions of the taxpayer, reviewing the taxpayer-prepared return, and determining if the taxpayer needs to file.