MATC VITA Updates! 430 clients and over 200 returns filed!

MATC Accounting Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Updates!

Keep up the great work! 😀

Milwaukee PwC Accounting Firm Tour: April 4, 2025! Register today.

Great opportunity for MATC Accounting students to tour a local public accounting firm!  

Click here to register: https://pwc.recsolu.com/app/collect/event/mSi5dfnggDEtJ5HmfGbicg

MATC Accounting Student Spotlight

It's a new year--and an opportunity to let us share our NEW Student Spotlight series!  Please meet Mariel who is a current student and also a tutor in the Accounting program at MATC.

What is your name? 

My name is Mariel Farina.

Where did you grow up?

I am from Argentina and grew up in a city called San Francisco in Córdoba Province. 

What’s your work history?

My work history goes all the way back to when I was 10 years old. I started helping at my parents’ business since they didn’t have much help. Of course, I was only doing small tasks for about three to four hours a day, but it taught me responsibility and commitment. It also introduced me to a financial mindset early on—I would "work" and receive a reward. Over time, those rewards turned into a salary, teaching me the value of money and the importance of saving. 

I worked with them until I was about 17, then I started bartending. When I turned 18, I got a job at a clothing store while still bartending. At the same time, I started tutoring English since I was studying to become an English teacher.

Later on, I volunteered to teach English at a low-resource kindergarten /elementary school. I also became a bar manager and nannied four mornings a week. 

-When I was 24, I moved to the U.S. as an au pair, which is a cultural exchange program where I lived with a host family and cared for their children full-time (45 hours a week).

-Currently, I tutor accounting (ACCTG 111 and 121), and I absolutely love it! I also help with other classes I’ve taken if I’m familiar with the material.

What brought you to MATC? 

I first heard about MATC through a friend. When I started looking at majors, I decided to enroll here because it was an affordable option—especially as an international student, since I’m not allowed to work off-campus.

Why Accounting?

Initially, I enrolled in Banking and Financial Services, but I ended up developing a real passion for my accounting classes, so I switched majors. Funny enough, before I decided to study English back home, I had also considered accounting, but my love for English won at the time. 

When do you intend to graduate (or have you already)? 

This is my last semester for my associate degree, and I’ll be graduating in Spring 2025! 

What are your career goals? 

I want to gain experience working at an accounting firm. Maybe after that, I’ll finish my bachelor’s degree and, in the future, sit for the CPA exam. 

What do you hope to gain from your college experience? 

My goal is to develop more confidence, apply difficult concepts to real-world work, and gain hands-on experience. Since I’m in my last semester, I can proudly say that I have achieved—and am still in the process of achieving—all of that. 

What are your extracurricular activities and interests? 

I love taking my husky pup on walks and playing with him. I adore kids, so I still visit the families I used to nanny for. When I have time, I enjoy working out and playing (or at least trying to play) golf with my fiancé.  

What are your community service experiences? 

I’m not currently involved in volunteer work, but back home, I did a lot of charity work through my church. They had a center and home for people with mental disabilities, where we would organize games, sing songs, and sometimes cook. To raise money for the church and center, we sold desserts or roasted chicken. 

The kindergarten/elementary school where I taught English it was volunteer work. Every Friday morning, I planned lessons, brought snacks, and helped prepare lunch for the kids, as many of them didn’t have enough food at home. 

Do you have any special talents or abilities?

I’m great at acting! I loved performing in high school and have always been super expressive. When I was little, I actually wanted to be an actress or a singer… but my vocals didn’t quite back me up.

-One talent I do have is my ear for music. I used to play the keyboard, and I could pick up songs just by listening—I almost needed music sheets to figure out the notes. 

-I’m also an excellent storyteller. I can make a five-minute story last an hour—just ask my fiancé!

-When I used to go out with my sister, my mom would wait up for us since bars back home finish at 6am. She’d ask how our night went, and my sister would sum it up in two minutes. Meanwhile, I’d take 30 to 45 minutes telling her every little detail.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

The one thing I didn’t expect when I started studying was how incredible the faculty at MATC would be. The professors truly care and want their students to succeed, and that’s something I will always carry in my heart and be grateful for.

MATC VITA On the news! 2/12/25

 Volunteers are the heartbeat of free tax return preparation sites around Milwaukee

By: Andrea Albers

Posted 5:25 AM, Feb 12, 2025 

and last updated 5:25 AM, Feb 12, 2025

It's tax filing season, and this year, you have more options than ever before. If your taxes are really simple, DIY might be all you need. However — if you run a business or are self-employed, tax laws can be intricate. Or maybe you've made mistakes on past returns or are worried about potential audits. Those are all reasons to turn to a local professional. But it doesn't always have to cost you.

If you earned income from a single job, so you have just one W-2, and you have no dependents or significant deductions, preparing your own taxes will save you some money.

Watch: Should you do your taxes yourself, or hire a pro?

The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboarTaxpayers in 25 states, now including Wisconsin, can electronically file returns for free using the IRS Direct File Tool. There are no income restrictions.

Click here to answer a few questions to find out if Direct File is the right option for your 2024 taxes.

If you feel more comfortable handing things over to a tax pro, free tax prep is available thanks to volunteers like Mary Jo Driscoll.

"We can help people prepare their federal and Wisconsin tax returns," she said.

The IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.

"Our priority is 2024 but we will help people that need — maybe they didn't file last year, or the year before and need to catch up," said Driscoll. She is among the accounting students and volunteers at the VITA site at Milwaukee Area Technical College in Oak Creek. You can upload your tax documents online by clicking here or drop them off in person.

AICPA February Student Webinar: How to become a CPA, 2/19 at 12 pm

 February Student Webinar

How to become a CPA: Frequently Asked Questions

Wednesday, February 19 | 1pm EST

 

Are you thinking about becoming a CPA and wondering where to start? Join us to learn about the organizations that play a role in CPA licensure, resources available to you, and when you should start planning your path to CPA.

Register Here: https://www.thiswaytocpa.com/webinars/

MATC's Free Tax Clinic (VITA) 2025 - NOW OPEN!

MATC Accounting students are once again offering free tax preparation for 

MATC students/staff and community members earning $70,000 or less. 

It is a win-win for our students and the community!

• In person: Drop off tax documentation Tuesdays, February 4-April 1, Noon-2 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Oak Creek Campus.
• Online: Visit this page to easily upload images of tax documents for virtual assistance now through April 4.

https://www.getyourrefund.org/matc

About VITA:

-Each year, thousands of IRS certified volunteers offer their time and expertise at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the country to help millions of Americans file taxes free of charge. VITA is an IRS-sponsored program staffed by volunteers who are committed to helping millions of low- and moderate-income people file their taxes by providing accurate, free, and trustworthy tax preparation assistance.

-Thank you to our MATC Accounting Instructors/VITA coordinators, Nell Curtis, CPA, Danica Olson, CPA, and all other volunteers, your hard work does not go unnoticed! VITA volunteers help those who need it most keep their hard-earned money.  😀