Dominican Students Participate in Tax-Aid

For the seventh successive year, students from Dominican University of California's School of Business, Education, and Leadership are participating in Tax-Aid, a non-profit organization that provides assistance on tax returns for people with low incomes.

On April 1,8, and 11, Dominican students will work alongside volunteer professionals from accountancy firm Deloitte at the Canal Welcome Center in San Rafael.

Now in its 19th year, Tax-Aid offers free tax preparation services to low-income residents in the Bay Area. Last year, hundreds of volunteers helped to return more than $3 million to nearly 3,000 Bay Area residents. The volunteers can help their clients take advantage of tax credits such as the Earned Income Credit and Child Care Credit. Many clients often are unaware of these credits.

Dominican provides exclusive student assistance to Tax-Aid in Marin, while a number of other Bay Area universities are involved in other parts of the region.

Community service is proving to be an excellent training ground for budding business professionals, according to Liz Capener, assistant professor at Dominican University of California and head of the University's undergraduate business program.

"Students gain tremendously by participating in charity programs. Most importantly they get to apply theoretical knowledge to real life situations. We also set out to instill a sense of community responsibility and create a precedent they will take into their future careers," says Capener.

Dominican students participate on two levels. Those with business interests and language skills interview clients and ensure accurate recording of their cases. The second tier is made up of accountancy and finance students who are seasoned in accounting theory. They complete tax returns before handing over to a qualified accountant.