Tax preparation is critical to sound financial planning, and I work to give my students all of the real world experience they’ll need to help their clients find the best plan for themselves.
Professor
My research seeks to identify effective ways of motivating financial behavior change through brief intervention strategies. I am currently focused on developing brief interventions that are informative, scalable and can easily be integrated into the income tax preparation process.
The design and format of the brief interventions are informed by research findings from behavioral economics and behavior change theory, as well as evidenced-based counseling practices such as Solutions-Focused Brief Coaching.
One of the things I’ve done that I’m most proud of is the development and implementation of the VITA program, a partnership with the IRS and Georgia United Credit Union to provide tax preparation services for low-income families free of charge. Between thirty and forty students each year volunteer to prepare taxes for families in the area, giving them hands-on experience with their chosen profession while simultaneously providing people who may not be able to afford it the chance to get their financial affairs in order. Each year students prepare close to one thousand tax returns.
I love being engaged with students in real world problems looking for solutions. The opportunity for learning and discovery is refreshing.