Janis Yarnevich volunteers time to help an elderly Mount Carmel resident with tax refunds.

Beta Alpha Psi helps residents file taxes

By: Nila Hall

Posted: 3/19/07

The Epsilon Delta chapter of Beta Alpha Psi is making a contribution to the community by helping senior citizens, permanently disabled residents, and low-income residents with their tax refunds.

Beta Alpha Psi is a national organization for accounting students and professionals. Founded in 1919, the organization has 263 chapters and 300,000 members across college and university campuses.

The Epsilon Delta chapter was founded at UMKC in 1977.

The purpose was to participate in community service in a way that relates to finance. Helping residents file their taxes is a way to do this.

On Sunday, March 18, BAP volunteers were at Mount Carmel Place in Kansas City, Kan.

Due to their excellent work at the Phoenix Family Housing Cooperation, which provides social services and resources to 5,000 households, they were referred to Mount Carmel Place.

The volunteers assisted approximately 20 residents with their Kansas Homestead Tax Refund and Kansas Food Sales Tax Refund claims.

In order for a resident to qualify for the Homestead Tax Refund, the total household income must be $28,000 or less.

The volunteers will help file the tax documents and forms by hand.

"We have to paper file the K-40 tax return and the K-40H due to the fact the residents are renters," said Derek McCallum, graduate student and director of Taxpayer Assistance.

Elderly residents are eligible for up to $600 from the Homestead Tax Refund.

For the Food Sales Tax Refund, residents are eligible to receive $75.

On February 2, 3 and 9, the volunteers served more than 200 elderly and low-income residents with the Missouri Property Tax Refund. Thirteen BAP members and pledges participated in preparing these returns.

Many residents received refunds as high as $750 because of the volunteers' efforts to help residents who, otherwise, might not be able to it themselves.

Another reason why BAP members and pledges participated in this community service was to give a free service.

This is the first year BAP volunteers have done this type of community service, which will last until April because of the tax season.

"This is first onsite service to residents in the greater Kansas City area," said McCallum.

The volunteers will earn hours for their community service and also a valuable experience that helps them think about their future careers.

"I have developed a greater interest in external and internal auditing as of late," said McCallum. "After I graduate from UMKC, I would like to have an accounting career." McCullam said he would also like to have a career with an international focus, "coupling my Spanish skills with my accounting knowledge, to work for a firm or a company with business activities in both North and South America."

nhall@unews.com