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By Liz Vargo, Sentinel Correspondent

Last updated: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 6:28 PM EST

While most people dread working on their tax returns, a group of Shippensburg University students are eager to crunch numbers before April 15.

Students in Professor Deborah Hocking's advanced tax class are making the grade and helping the community by preparing taxes at no charge for low-income taxpayers. For the first time, Hocking asked students registered in her spring class to get certified by Internal Revenue Service to prepare taxes.

“We're using service learning,” she said. “It was given to them as an alternate project, but every student in the class is certified and taking it.”

Senior student coordinator Nate Hower of Lebanon said the course will benefit him when pursuing a job out of college. Hower, an accounting major, said the elective helps students learn more about tax law.

“It's a good experience if we go out in the work force and do tax work,” he said.

Getting assistance

Hocking's 17 students and a few volunteer sophomores rotate schedules to prepare taxes from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays in room 305 of John L. Grove School of Business. Walk-ins are welcome.

“I decided to do this after I heard of the volunteer tax assistant program the IRS is doing across the country,” Hocking said.

The free tax preparation was organized through Community Action Commission of Harrisburg. This nonprofit group is approved by the IRS to offer certified tax preparation for those who qualify.

Heidi Neuhaus of the commission will host a community meeting called “The Earned Income Tax Credit: Community Outreach Makes a Difference” from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, March 1, in the Presbyterian Church, 12 S. Prince St. The commission plans to raise awareness of services offered at Shippensburg University and answer questions.

According to Hocking, the university outreach is the only one of its kind in Franklin County. In Cumberland County, there is a low-income tax program in Carlisle and students from Messiah College offer tax preparations services in several locations, including Grantham and Mechanicsburg.

Those who qualify for Earned Income Tax Credits include anyone from age 25 to 64, without investment incoming exceeding $2,800.

Single taxpayers must have an income of $12,210 or lower with no children, $32,001 or lower with 1 child and $36,348 or lower with two children. Married taxpayers filing jointly must have an income of $14,120 or lower with no children, $34,001 or lower with one child or $38,348 or lower with two children.

Hands-on learning

SU accounting majors must take a tax preparation course before graduating, but the advanced course is an elective. Students who may pursue tax preparation as their first job after graduation learn more detailed techniques and can be certified in five levels.

Hocking wanted students to work in the community and get one-on-one experience with tax preparation. Although she offered more than one project this spring, the entire class chose to work on the nonprofit community group.

Students spent their Christmas break taking an online certification through the IRS. The certification involved three to four hours, Hower said. Students had to work through various tax scenarios.

Jolene Hiester, 22, of Enola said the problems posed by the tax scenarios were much more difficult than what students experienced so far in “real life.” The senior accounting major completed three returns for people so far this tax season.

“Instead of having problems in the book, you have to interview the person,” she said.

Interviewing is the most difficult part for Brandon Miller, 22, of Harrisburg. Miller, who also is a senior accounting major, noted the process never gets easier but is good preparation.

“Working with people is the best benefit to us,” he said.

Miller and Hower said each person has been different - some are ready to go while others could be more organized. A return takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what information the taxpayer brings, they said.

Hower said it's important to ask the right questions for the right results. The college of business has helped students prepare for interviews by offering speaking courses and requiring presentations.

“It's difficult to make sure you're following everything correctly, but we have whole books with questions if we run into a problem,” he said, adding that returns to this point have been fairly straight-forward.

About 30 people have walked in for tax assistance since students began offering services Jan. 22, Hocking said. Nearly half of those have been students, but Hocking hopes the community meeting encourages other from the area to attend.

Quality work

All students working on the free tax preparation are certified and ready to help, Hower said.

“There's nothing to be scared of to have them done here. We're just as good as H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt,” he said.

“This is a place where they can get quality service with more on their refund Š for free,” Miller added.

Hower and two other students - Kip Miller and Khanthayl Bounma - rotate as student coordinators and other certified preparers are nearby.

Students complete federal, Pennsylvania and local tax returns. Every return is e-filed free, giving taxpayers the fastest refund possible. A folder full of information also helps taxpayers learn how to get out of debt and start saving money.

Luke Flickinger, 22, of Mifflinburg, used to do taxes with his father. But this year, the senior who majors in exercise science decided he'd take advantage of the free, on-campus service.

“I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this Š I'd suggest it to others,” he said.

“Right now, he's glad it's free,” added Ashley Clouser, 21, of Newport.

Clouser and Hiester are the only two senior accounting majors certified in all five levels of tax preparation, including advanced, military and international. The two worked as a team Monday to double-check each other's work.

“They're just highly motivated students,” Hocking said. “They're doing a great job.”

Right now, requests have been low. But Hower expects things to pick up as April 15 approaches.

What to bring

To get the best service, it's important to bring the following,

* Copies of all forms W2, 1098 and 1099 and the amount of other income.

* Social Security card.

* Form 8332 or a copy of a divorce decree if you are a non-custodial parent claiming a child.

* A check or other information with the account and routing transit number of a bank where a refund can be filed.

* Copies of prior taxes.

* If expecting to claim a credit for child or dependent care, bring child care provider's address and tax identification number.

* Tax identification number for you, spouse and others shown on your tax return if you don't have a social security number.

Spouses who file together must bring the above information for both.

Tax preparation assistance is available from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays in room 305 of John L. Grove School of Business. Walk-ins are welcome.

For more information, log on to www.cactricounty.org, www.uwer.org or www.irs.gov or call Free Tax Preparations at 232-9757.