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For all the last-minute tax return filers in the UCLA community, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance is here to help.

VITA is a student-coordinated program, in conjunction with the IRS, that is designed to help UCLA students, faculty or local residents properly prepare their annual federal and state income tax returns, free of charge.

“I know how frustrating and complicated it can be for people to do their taxes,” said Henry Lin, fourth- year business economics student and one of the seven coordinators of UCLA VITA. “We’re here to help.”

VITA is a non-profit organization run by about 100 IRS-trained, certified volunteers.

According to Terry Chen, a fourth-year biology student, and another student coordinator, all volunteers have received about 10 hours of training from CPAs and auditors from the IRS.

“All student volunteers attended classes during winter quarter taught by IRS volunteers,” Chen said, adding that everyone had to pass a test given at the end of their training to become qualified.

VITA starts recruiting for new volunteers second week of winter quarter in conjunction with the economics department using advertisements and flyers on Bruin Walk.

Coordinators visit economics and accounting classes to make announcements to students and the economics department sends out an all-department e-mail about the program.

“I have done other volunteer work before, but nothing like this,” said Lin, who first heard about VITA in an economics class. “I think it is a really unique opportunity for students.”

The hands-on experience volunteers gain from VITA initially attracts many students, but about half of them drop out because they cannot make the time commitment.

“We usually have around 200 people attend our information session but we end up with about 100 volunteers in the end,” Chen said, adding that anyone is welcome to become a volunteer as long as they complete all the training and do at least eight hours of actual volunteering.

Since VITA is considered an on-campus student organization, it does receive funding from UCLA but volunteers also look to private businesses for donations to use on recruitment, supplies and advertisement, which some people feel could be improved.

“I think it is too bad more students don’t know about (VITA),” said Yanni Afendoulis, an ethnomusicology and history student, who has been using the services for the past 2-3 years. “When I talk to other students about VITA, most of them don’t even know it exists.”

Other than its weak publicity, Afendoulis is completely satisfied with the service VITA provides.

“I used to go to H&R Block before and pay for them to do my taxes,” Afendoulis said. “I think these volunteers are great and I’ve been happy with their work every single time.”

VITA is entirely student-run. Its services will be available in Ackerman 3517 today and next week until Thursday from noon to 6 p.m.