Oregonians with incomes below $84,000 are getting a financial leg-up with free tax filing assistance, thanks to the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Tax Infrastructure Grant Program. The initiative has seen Oregon State University (OSU) and Western Oregon University (WOU) stepping up to offer services that have significantly increased the number of processed tax returns. In 2024, these universities were instrumental in filing over 14,000 tax returns, a noteworthy leap from figures pre-dating the grant program.
In a move to make tax assistance more accessible, over 100 paid student workers have been employed across these universities. According to a statement obtained by the ODHS, Emily Plant, an OSU student, emphasized the variety of people benefitting from the initiative. "It's really important work, really meaningful. It helps people who have low incomes, disabilities, 65 plus-aged people, and people for whom English is a second language. People just don't know they can get money back," she said. Plant's sentiment is echoed across Oregon as these programs rapidly help to educate and empower taxpayers, as per the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Kelleen Green, a student working toward her Master's degree in education at WOU, told the ODHS that the tax filing assistance is often met with relief from clients, many of whom feel anxious and overwhelmed. "We’re here to help them. We see people get refunds almost all the time. Helps them feel empowered," Green said, highlighting the mental and financial relief these services offer, as cited by the Oregon Department of Human Services.
This program operates with the IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), ensuring that volunteers who prepare returns are well-trained to meet or surpass IRS standards. Funding also encompasses culturally specific organizations, Tribal governments, and rural community bodies to provide multilingual tax filing help.
