Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program Featured on Local TV

Reporter Sean Martinelli from WUTR in Utica recently visited campus to speak with students and faculty about Colgate’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, featuring VITA in a piece that aired on WUTR earlier this month.  The VITA program provides residents of Chenango and Madison counties with free help preparing their federal income taxes.  Led by Professor of Economics Nicole Simpson, VITA trains Colgate students in the nuts-and-bolts of filing tax returns, paying special attention to the Earned Income Tax Credit that is available for many low-income residents.  Tax refunds from VITA-prepared returns bring more than $1 million back to our region each year.  The VITA story includes details about a recent gift of $30,000 from NBT Bank that will help to support the program and keep it running for the next three years.  The Upstate Institute thanks NBT Bank and WUTR for their support of VITA, as well as the students and community partners that put in many hours of work to run the program each year.