UB School of Management students complete another year of free tax service

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. — During the 2025 tax season, 110 IRS-certified accounting students from the University at Buffalo School of Management brought more than $608,000 back into the Buffalo community through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Students from the UB Accounting Association and UB’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the international honors organization for accounting and finance students and professionals, led the initiative that provided 2,350 hours of tax service, preparing more than 740 returns for individuals and families with annual incomes below $67,000.

“Providing free tax preparation gives our students the opportunity to deliver an essential service to the community while sharpening real-world skills in technology, finance, project management and client satisfaction,” says Ananth Iyer, dean of the UB School of Management. “Their efforts are a clear reflection of our vision to create a world of agile leaders who roll up their sleeves and change society for the better.”

More than $142,000 of the total was a result of the Earned Income Credit, which targets low-income families in need of additional financial support.

Cumulatively, School of Management student volunteers have brought nearly $14 million in tax refunds back into the region since 2008 by preparing more than 11,200 tax returns. Approximately $2.9 million was from the Earned Income Credit.