LSU Law students assisted approximately 250 foreign students, teachers and researchers who qualify as non-resident taxpayers in preparing federal and state income tax returns as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program that was held in February and March at the Law Center. Sponsored by the LSU Tax Law Society, the LSU Law Center’s VITA site is the only VITA site in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lafayette area where law student volunteers prepare federal and Louisiana state income tax returns for foreign students, teachers and researchers that qualify as non-resident taxpayers. The majority of those assisted were from the LSU main campus.
“VITA is a great opportunity for law students to put their tax skills to use and aid international students and scholars in the LSU community,” said Randall Thomas, LSU Law student and VITA quality reviewer.
Each law student must attend a two-hour training with Professor Phil Hackney and pass two IRS certifications: Volunteer Standards of Conduct and Foreign Student Certification. LSU Law students have offered this service since 1999.
