10. Your organization already provides asset building services to working families and free tax help would be a great addition! 9.

Transcription

1 2016 TAX SEASON

2 10. Your organization already provides asset building services to working families and free tax help would be a great addition! 9. You want to introduce clients to savings and asset building 8. You value being part of a coalition 7. You want to build partnerships and referral networks with organizations serving working families 6. You want to empower your clients to know more about their tax situation 5. You want to build the skills of your staff and volunteers 4. Your organization wants to attract new clients 3. Your organization is looking to heighten their visibility in the community 2. You want to increase awareness about your other services among clients 1. You want to help your clients get back the money they deserve!

3 EKS is a coalition of over 200 organizations including community organizations, local government agencies, businesses, churches and many others The EKS Coalition provides free tax preparation services to low to moderate income households earning below $53,000 a year

4 In 2002, United Way of the Bay Area (UWBA), IRS, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee convened representatives from the private, public, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors to establish the first EITC Coalition in Alameda County In 2003, 14 VITA sites offered free tax preparation in Alameda County and returned $3,069,762 in total refunds The remaining UWBA counties organized by : 3,006 volunteers at 218 sites, 74,452 returns, $25.9 million in EITC and over $80 million in total refunds

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6 The Earned Income Tax Credit is a credit for working people that can provide a large income support to a family s annual income (this can be a credit up to $6,143 for a married couple with 3 children) Free tax preparation is a gateway to other income support or asset building services a family may need Eligible families are paying predatory and exorbitant fees to file their taxes with commercial preparers (preparation fees and loan costs are estimated at $320)

7 The scientists point to evidence that income-boosting programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) affect children s outcomes. Those findings linked an expansion in the EITC, for example, with gains in middle school reading and math test scores. Prior studies also found sustained effects of the EITC and the related Child Tax Credit on high school completion and college entry. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Brain Studies Highlight Importance of Anti-Poverty Policies for Children, Arloc Sherman, August 2015

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9 United Way of the Bay Area leads the regional Earn It! Keep It! Save It! coalition and supports all the counties in various ways Includes marketing, funding, planning, volunteer recruitment, volunteer and site coordinator training and overall technical assistance Each county coalition has its own leadership made up of UWBA (EKS staff) and IRS

10 Most free tax sites in the EKS coalition operate VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites VITA is a 40+ year running, national IRS program where trained volunteers prepare tax returns for low income families according to IRS guidelines Free tax help is also provided by AARP Tax-Aide sites (they run another IRS program called Tax Counseling for the Elderly that focuses on seniors) Tax-Aid: volunteers staff Saturday sites at locations across the Bay Area

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12 Each VITA site must have a Site Coordinator who can attend meetings and trainings prior to the tax season in addition to coordinating all site operations during the tax season Each county holds mandatory monthly site coordinator meetings that cover IRS updates, ordering materials, volunteer recruitment, coalition trainings, marketing, and other operational logistics Site Coordinators must also be trained and certified as tax preparers to the appropriate level Your primary responsibilities at your VITA site are: 1. Overseeing site operation and tax preparation 2. E-filing prepared tax returns 3. Ordering site materials 4. Scheduling and managing volunteers 5. Ensuring that every tax return is quality reviewed

13 VITA sites need computers and printers with capacity to run tax preparation software and access to the internet VITA sites use TaxWise tax preparation software TaxWise software is provided for free and must be ordered through IRS Technical support is provided by TaxWise Limited equipment may be available through the IRS Each site also needs adequate space for preparing returns at computers and a client waiting or greeting area If possible, computer stations should be separate enough to provide privacy for each taxpayer

14 Each VITA site is responsible for recruiting and managing their own volunteers All volunteers must pass an ethics exam Volunteers are certified to basic or advanced levels (these levels represent the level of tax law knowledge) Volunteers must pass an exam to be certified at each level Tax law support is provided to volunteers at VITA sites through a number Volunteers are trained to prepare tax returns through a 3 day class or online training modules and must take an exam Volunteer positions at a VITA site include: tax preparer, screener, greeter, interpreter and quality reviewer, and others (varies by site) According to the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997, volunteers are exempt from liability if: The volunteer was acting within the scope of their responsibilities The volunteer was properly licensed (certified, in our case) The volunteer was not acting in gross negligence or willful misconduct

15 Each VITA site is required to Recruit, manage and retain its volunteers Ensure their volunteers are certified and prepare tax returns within their scope of training and level of certification Commit to preparing at least 50 tax returns in order to receive the software per the IRS VITA guidelines Each VITA site determines their hours of operation and scheduling method (appointment or walk-in) It is recommended for first year sites to take appointments according to your site s capacity Follow all privacy and security guidelines regarding equipment and taxpayer data Adhere to all quality site requirements established by the IRS (training is provided on quality site requirements)

16 Attend monthly (bimonthly conference calls in some cases) site coordinator meetings September through April Attend additional trainings as required, such as transmitter training and site coordinator training Report to UWBA and other lead agencies on program outcomes Provide data, as requested, about program operations and tax return results to coalition leads and UWBA in a timely manner Ensure site operation hours are updated with the 211 call center, UWBA, and IRS Follow all end-of-season close out procedures as laid out by IRS

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18 Training for staff and volunteers TaxWise software needed to prepare and e-file tax returns Technical assistance and trouble-shooting throughout the tax season A regional hotline number (211) EKS website to promote the coalition sites Regional and county specific outreach materials and media relations Connections with experienced site coordinators (who can mentor and share best practices) Supplemental volunteer recruitment Data collection and reporting

19 United Way of the Bay Area may be able to cover the cost of supplies (up to $500) for your first year as a site We encourage sites to leverage funding from other sources using the UWBA dollars as a match Additional in-kind coalition supports (from prior slide) are estimated at $15,000 per site Typical costs for a VITA site are: staff time, computers and printers, office supplies ( paper, toner, file folders, etc.) food for your volunteers, volunteer recognition event/party and space rental (if applicable)

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21 September October November December monthly coordinator meetings begin savings training volunteer recruitment begins secure site numbers and software with IRS new site coordinator training site logistics and operating hours are finalized volunteer recruitment continues order training and site materials from IRS regional convening for all site coordinators volunteer recruitment continues some volunteer training classes begin specialty topic trainings all site material orders are placed with IRS ensure all required forms are submitted to IRS and UWBA

22 January February March April transmitter training volunteer training classes continue kick-off events, outreach blitz and sites are open for business during the last week! monthly coordinator meetings and/or bimonthly conference calls continue all sites are open for business monthly coordinator meetings and/or bimonthly conference calls continue all sites are open for business monthly coordinator meetings and/or bimonthly conference calls continue all sites are open for business until April 15 th Follow IRS site close out procedures

23 May June July August debriefs and wrap-ups (if applicable) celebration and recognition events debriefs and wrap-ups (if applicable) final coalition results are tallied and reported to community planning for the next tax season begins planning for next tax season continues

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25 Earn It! Keep It! Save It! strives to provide free tax preparation to working families in order to help them become more financially stable Offering free tax preparation allows organizations to gather clients for their other asset building services Many VITA sites offer free tax preparation as one of their many income support or asset building services. Other services include: Financial education Taxpayer education Mainstream banking products access Benefits screening and enrollment One-on-one financial coaching Individual development accounts (IDA), which is a matched savings accounts Credit building or credit report education Workforce development or job training

26 Savings Volunteers and staff at every tax site in EKS are encouraged to ask every taxpayer to save all or a portion of their refund Full integration into tax prep process We offer training for staff and volunteers on how to ask taxpayers and promote savings

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28 10. Your organization already provides asset building services to working families and free tax help would be a great addition! 9. You want to introduce clients to savings and asset building 8. You value being part of a coalition 7. You want to build partnerships and referral networks with organizations serving working families 6. You want to empower your clients to know more about their tax situation 5. You want to build the skills of your staff and volunteers 4. Your organization wants to attract new clients 3. Your organization is looking to heighten their visibility in the community 2. You want to increase awareness about your other services among clients 1. You want to help your clients get back the money they deserve!

29 Contact us! Alameda and Contra Costa Counties: Vanessa Muniz, San Mateo and San Francisco Counties: Kelly Batson, Marin, Napa, and Solano Counties: Laura Freeze,