By Dinah Alobeid

When it came time to fill out his tax forms, freshman Cory Renzella didn’t bother. Instead, his father filled them out for him, just as he has always done.

Renzella, a freshman international affairs major and Student Government Association (SGA) assistant vice president for financial affairs, said he doesn’t know how to do his own tax returns. He said he wants to learn, however, and is now spearheading SGA’s advertising campaign for a free tax seminar taught by Northeastern accounting professor Tim Rupert.

“I am planning on learning how to do my taxes myself. I think it’s really important to know,” Renzella said.

Some students seem to agree, as the number of students who are attempting to learn how to fill out state and federal forms before the April 15 deadline has started to increase.

“This year with only two weeks left in the tax season we’ve had 75 tax payers attend, a small but noticeable increase,” Rupert said. He said the average has typically been between 50 and 60 students per tax season.

The tax seminar is part of the effort of a nonprofit organization called Community Tax Aid of Boston (CTA) which brings free tax services to the low income tax payers of Boston. The organization has 11 centers throughout the city, including the one at Northeastern in Dodge Hall. Those involved in organizing the seminar work on a volunteer basis, and include former Northeastern students and graduate students, as well as professors like Rupert.

“When I began volunteering for the organization 13 years ago, there was a center on Massachusetts Avenue. Because the building was sold and the organization that hosted the center moved, CTA was looking for another center location in this area. I talked with the Northeastern administration and they agreed to host the center. We’ve been providing services each tax season since then,” Rupert said.

Although the service provides free tax help for students, SGA Vice President for Financial Affairs Ali Barlow said she is a believer in computer software programs to help her finish her forms by April 15.

“This year I bought a software program for less than $40; it’s called TurboTax. I really think it’s the easiest way to do your taxes, it’s user friendly and basically does it for you,” Barlow said. “As you’re calculating, it tells you how much you get from the state and from federal taxes. It’s so easy because it works with programs that are online.”

While Barlow chooses a computer program, students who want some last-minute help can attend a final session on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in 140 Dodge Hall.

The tax seminar by Rupert runs from January until April. To be eligible, tax payers have to have an income of less than $30,000 if they are single and less than $40,000 for families. The workshop only does returns for U.S. citizens and only Massachusetts state returns. The program is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and they can only take 15 tax payers per week.

“I think our volunteers get involved with the effort because they feel they really make a difference. As a measure of this, last year, tax payers who used our service received federal and state refunds of over $50,000. For the lower income taxpayers that we serve, this money can make a big difference in their financial position. I expect that the number will be even larger this year,” Rupert said.