Free, Certified Tax Preparation by Volunteers
Need help filing your state and federal taxes? IRS-certified accounting students offer tax preparation and e-filing to students, employees, and families of Ball State University, Muncie Community Schools and other Delaware County taxpayers who meet IRS guidelines (see below).
Please note that this FREE service has limited capacity, and is not an entitlement to students, employees, or others affiliated with Ball State. We generally take 1-2 weeks to complete returns from when we receive all the required documents. If you require faster service, consider the Self-Preparation option below, along with commercial providers.
In-person Appointments
To schedule an appointment, please visit
If you are able to come to the Whitinger Business Building on the Ball State campus on Wednesdays between 1-5:30 pm, you are welcome to schedule an appointment to meet with a certified volunteer tax preparer and complete your taxes in one visit. Please note we are unable to accommodate walk-ins. To schedule your appointment, visit Ball State VITA Program | Scheduling and Booking Website.
Virtual Preparation and Review (Recommended)
In addition to in-person appointments, we will continue to offer VITA tax preparation virtually for 2025. Virtual preparation is completed offsite using a secure document management process by supervised preparers and reviewers. Further information is available below.
Self-Preparation with Skilled Assistance (Fastest)
This popular option allows you to save time and prepare your own return, with assistance from our skilled volunteers just an email away! You can access a FREE web-based version of TaxSlayer, provider of both consumer and professional tax software solutions, with an easy-to-use and intuitive interface if your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is less than $67,000. Best of all, using this virtual facilitated self-assistance (FSA) program still gives you access to our preparers and their knowledge via email or Zoom.
To get started, email vita@bsu.edu with the subject line "SEND ME THE LINK" and you will instantly receive a reply with a link to the software.
If you have questions as you prepare your return, please email us with your questions or to request a phone call or Zoom appointment.
Certified Help from Ball State Students
State and federal tax filings are prepared by students enrolled in ACC 415 - Practicum in Individual Income Tax, graduate accounting students, and student members of Beta Alpha Psi. These students have completed many hours of training and exams to be IRS Certified Volunteer Tax Preparers.
All tax filings are reviewed for accuracy by an IRS certified quality reviewer. No sensitive information is maintained by the program. Tax returns are filed electronically and use direct deposit for refunds when possible. Most clients will have their tax refund deposited within two weeks of filing.