Trinity College’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clinic is wrapping up its most productive year to date, with a goal to have students prepare at least 760 free tax returns for Hartford residents by the April 15 filing deadline.
Hosted at Trinfo in partnership with the United Way of Northeastern CT and The Village for Families & Children, the clinic provides free, Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified tax preparation services for individuals earning $69,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers. Located at 1300 Broad Street, the program operates as both a community resource and a hands-on learning experience for Trinity students enrolled in the “Tax Policy and Inequality in Hartford” course.
The course instructor, Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Law Serena Laws, said that the program emerged from her efforts to make abstract concepts in tax policy more tangible for students. The idea took shape after Laws volunteered at a VITA site herself in 2016 and experienced firsthand how tax credits function for low-income families.
“I learned a lot more from having a person next to me and seeing how much they worked and how little money they made,” Laws said. “And I thought, Trinity students are really smart and could do this, too.”
What began as a pilot program in 2019 has since grown into a sustained community effort that now includes one of its largest student cohorts. In the 2026 season, the clinic aims to surpass its previous high number of completed returns, supported by 18 students currently enrolled in the course, along with returning student assistants and alumni leaders who continue to support operations.
Laws noted professional site coordinator Linda Martinez IDP ’04 as a key addition who brings more than 30 years of tax preparation experience to the team, and helps students tax preparers to ensure accuracy and efficiency at the clinic.
For students in “Tax Policy and Inequality in Hartford,” the clinic offers an opportunity to connect academic content with direct service. After completing IRS certification training, students work weekly shifts at the clinic preparing tax returns for Hartford residents from January through April each spring semester.
Laws said the experiential nature of the work is central to its educational value. “The students feel like they learn a practical skill they’ll get to use, but I think along with that comes just a better understanding of the tax system as a whole,” she said. “When you do that hands-on work, you understand in a way that you don’t if you’re just reading an article.”
She also emphasized how the experience stays with students beyond the classroom. “My seniors, one year, told me the first question they get asked on every interview is, ‘Can you tell me more about the tax clinic you’re doing?’” Laws said. “It’s something that really makes them stand out.”
Hadas Ali ’28 said she enjoys building relationships through the clinic and helping to make more connections between Trinity and Hartford. “I really hope that in this role, I can work to break down the idea that Trinity and Hartford are separate entities,” Ali said. “Taxes are a fundamental life skill that we will all need throughout our lives, and learning how to navigate them while giving back is an incredible opportunity.”
The clinic helps reduce financial inequities in Hartford by providing free tax preparation services for residents who rely on tax credits as government support, Laws said. Without VITA, many would face fees from commercial tax services or turn to costly refund loans. The program removes these barriers, Laws explained, ensuring clients receive the full value of their refunds.
Laws said students consistently leave the program with a deeper understanding of inequality, and while not all pursue careers directly related to tax policy, they gain skills and experiences that translate across a wide range of future paths. Laws added that beyond tax preparation, students grow through their experiences with communication, professionalism, and public service.
As Ali said, “Working directly with people has shown me the importance of client relations—a skill that I plan to carry forward into all of my future career opportunities.”
Learn more about the VITA tax clinic at Trinity College here.
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