CPA Samuel Handwerger explains the key differences between Traditional and Roth IRAs. Traditional IRAs offer tax-deferred savings, while Roth IRAs provide tax-free withdrawals. Future tax rates and career trajectory matter, making the choice complex. Consistent saving is the most crucial factor.

Education tax credits can significantly lower tax bills, says Smith professor Samuel Handwerger. The American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits offer key savings, but eligibility rules matter. Students may claim credits if parents opt out. TerpTax offers free tax prep through April 14.

Some F-1 visa students at UMD are receiving $1,400 IRS payments due to errors in stimulus eligibility. TerpTax, led by accounting lecturer Samuel Handwerger, advises returning these payments to avoid future tax and immigration complications. Assistance is available through TerpTax.

TerpTax, a free tax service at the University of Maryland, caters to students and low-to-mid-income individuals. Under the direction of Smith Accounting Lecturer Samuel Handwerger, a CPA with a master’s in taxation, it specializes in international student returns. Appointments available until April 15, 2024, offer valuable tax filing assistance.

For a second year in a row, TerpTax “made a big impact” on the campus and local community, say its organizers. The program’s 70-plus student volunteers from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business prepared tax returns yielding about $200,000 in federal refunds collectively for more than 300 UMD students, staff members and off-campus community members.