Abstract

This study investigates the impact of demographic factors—age, gender, and education—on the time spent preparing for tax filing before utilizing free tax clinic services. Conducted at the University of the District of Columbia, the research addresses a gap in the literature concerning customer satisfaction with free services, particularly focusing on the preparatory efforts of diverse demographic groups. The study hypothesizes that older adults, women, and individuals with higher education levels spend varying amounts of time on tax preparation, influencing their overall satisfaction with the service.

Data were collected from 52 respondents who used the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services during the 2023 tax season. The survey measured satisfaction and a-priori time spent on taxes before coming to the tax clinic, with a high response rate of 86.7%. The findings did not reveal significant differences in preparatory time based on age, education, and gender. However, the relationship between age and a-priori time spent before coming to the tax clinic was curvilinear, in that the a-priori time spent increases with age and then decreases after 45-55 years of age. The relationship between preparatory time and customer satisfaction was statistically significant. These insights provide valuable implications for improving service delivery at free tax clinics, emphasizing the need for tailored support that considers the diverse preparatory behaviors of different demographic groups.

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