This internship provided me with invaluable taxation knowledge
that much exceeded what I learned in the classroom. I heard a lot about federal taxes and how to properly file standard individual tax returns as well as returns for foreign students. It was very eye-opening, provided that learning anything in experience is better than learning it technically. When filing the returns, I have learned how to use tax apps and other programming programs. This is important when assisting others because it reduces the amount of effort required by eliminating the need to do calculations.
Was it difficult to take your prior knowledge of taxation and put it to use in a real-life situation?
The first couple of weeks were tough for me. I found it difficult to translate the knowledge I acquired in the classroom to the real-life context. Although I knew what taxation was and how to go about it from my lessons, I needed someone to point me in the right direction regarding the application. Initially, some members of staff were not supportive. This situation demoralized me, and I lost interest for some time. I was, however, able to pick myself up and got involved in the day-to-day activities at the center.
From this experience, I concluded that the classroom and the real world are completely different. The textbooks offer straightforward information to make it easy for the students to understand the concepts involved. Things are different in real life. I got to encounter people with complicated details which made it difficult for me to help them. For instance, filing returns for a married woman who has little information about the income of their spouse is not easy. My classroom knowledge could not come to my aid; I had to seek help to serve them.
Were you successful in dealing with the public? How?
The internship experience helped to enhance my interpersonal skills and made it easy to deal with the members of the public. First, these people understood that I was a student, so they didn’t give me a hard time. They were patient and let me figure things out as I tried to help them.
Secondly, my communication skills improved during this time. I learned to be attentive so that I could gather all the required information from the clients. I also learned to be patient with them. I met all kinds of people, and our interactions posed various challenges. I had to be flexible and understanding at all times. For example, some people took longer to understand their tax returns, and I had to explain it to them until they got it. These skills helped to improve the quality of my internship.
Do you have a sense of pride from giving a great service to so many people?
Offering this service has given me a sense of humility. I am thankful for the opportunity to help the clients and at the same time learn more about taxation. I am grateful that I served incredible people who never gave me a hard time. They contributed to the great experience I had at the VITA center.
What was the most challenging part of the experience for you?
I had a hard time dealing with some of the staff members at the center; they were unsupportive and unwilling to help. They did not demonstrate teamwork and proper work ethic, and this frustrated me at times. I did not understand why they did this when I specifically came to the center so that I could learn from them.
I also faced a challenge juggling between work and school. I did not get a break from school during my internship; therefore, it was difficult to attend classes and the training at the VITA center. The operating hours were also not flexible. The center remains closed on Sunday, Monday, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. This schedule did not help my efforts to strike a balance between work and school. As a consequence, my study hours were affected, and I also had little time to do other extra-curricular activities. There was also the issue of a language barrier. Some clients couldn’t communicate in English and this complicated efforts to understand them, so we had to rely on an interpreter.
What was the best part of the class for you?
The best part was learning, in detail, how to prepare tax returns. I can now conduct research regarding various tax issues and solve them successfully. I can also compile my returns and do the same for my family members. The internship benefitted me socially because I got to interact with people from all walks of life and made friends along the way.
In what ways have you gained from this experience?
I succeeded in applying what I learned in class to a real-life situation. I also got to discover things I never knew before like the difference between itemized and standard deductions. I now know the advantage of documenting expenses; it eases things when filing tax returns. Lastly, I gained basic life skills such as dealing with a difficult co-worker. These skills will come in handy when I start my career.
How has this experienced changed your perspective on the tax filing system of the United States?
I have a greater understanding of the American tax filing system. I know how it works and I appreciate the fact that it is effective. This system is able to capture the important details of the taxpayer and accurately determines the amount of tax they have to pay. The citizens get to pay their taxes promptly, and the government takes care of them through providing facilities and services that make their lives better. Without taxes, the country will plunge into chaos, and for this reason, the government came up with efficient systems.
Would you recommend this class to someone else? Why?
Yes, I would recommend this class to someone else because of the numerous benefits they will get; with the emphasis being on gaining work experience. They will get to understand concepts that initially seem foreign and get hands on experience when dealing with clients and co-workers which offer a significant boost to the career.
