Quality Review Training Course
Date: Currently Available
Mode: Self-paced Online training
Cost: free of charge
Organizer: Amy Brown, Community Development Consulting
Description: Implementing a quality review process at your tax site may be the single most important step you can take to ensure the accuracy of returns you complete. Furthermore, the IRS requires all VITA sites to have a quality review process. Now, you can train staff and volunteers to be quality reviewers using a new on-line training and certification program. Check it out at www.eitcplatform.org.
The training is FREE to all VITA sites and other free and low-cost tax preparation programs serving low-income and EITC-eligible tax filers. This innovative, interactive training course has been designed to mimic the real-world environment of a tax site, and trainees will learn by completing practice quality review scenarios. Trainees can return to the site as often as needed and complete the training on their own time. Once they complete the course and test, they will be able to print out a certification report that they can provide to the tax site manager or program director.
The training will help sites meet IRS requirements. The training has been reviewed by the IRS and the checklist has been approved as a substitute for Form 8158 (Quality Review Sheet). Sites that implement a review process based on this training will meet IRS requirements.
The training has been developed by the Aspen Institute, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and in close partnership with the National Community Tax Coalition. It is part of a broader effort to test a platform that would support the work of free and low-cost tax preparation and asset-building programs.
Register and use the tool
Archive of past calls
Implementing Quality Review at Your Tax Site: FREE Training Tool Available!
Date: Friday, January 18, 2008 (repeat of presentation offered in December)
Mode: Webinar
Presenter: Amy Brown
Description: Implementing a quality review process at your tax site may be the single most important step you can take to ensure the accuracy of returns you complete. Furthermore, the IRS requires all VITA sites to have a quality review process. Now, you can train staff and volunteers to be quality reviewers using a new on-line training and certification program. Check out the program at www.eitcplatform.org.
This webinar will introduce participants to the training tool, provide a demonstration, and explain how site managers can best use the training to implement a successful quality review process.
The training is FREE to all VITA sites and other free and low-cost tax preparation programs serving low-income and EITC-eligible tax filers. This innovative, interactive training course has been designed to mimic the real-world environment of a tax site, and trainees will learn by completing practice quality review scenarios. Trainees can return to the site as often as needed and complete the training on their own time. Once they complete the course and test, they will be able to print out a certification report that they can provide to the tax site manager or program director.
The training will help sites meet IRS requirements. The training has been reviewed by the IRS and the checklist has been approved as a substitute for Form 8158 (Quality Review Sheet). Sites that implement a review process based on this training will meet IRS requirements.
The training has been developed by the Aspen Institute, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and in close partnership with the National Community Tax Coalition. It is part of a broader effort to test a platform that would support the work of free and low-cost tax preparation and asset-building programs.
Materials: watch the webinar recording (from Dec. 17 training)
Tax Season Kick-Off Call
Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2008.
Time: 2:00 pm Eastern; 1:00 pm Central; 12:00 pm Mountain; 11:00 am Pacific
Mode: Audio Conference
Cost: Free of Charge
Description: During this call, we will discuss some issues of importance for the upcoming tax season. These issues include a tax season overview, the AMT patch, introduction of the SPEC Team, federal funding, and mortgage relief.
Speakers:
1) Leslie Baronich, Director of Field Operations IRS-SPEC "Tax Season Overview"
2) Catherine Harvey, Senior Tax Analyst, IRS-SPEC "AMT"
3) Don Dill, Senior Tax Analyst, IRS-SPEC "Introduction of SPEC Team"
4) Jonathan Njus, Center for Economic Progress "Federal Funding"
5) Dave Rothstein, Policy Matters Ohio "Mortgage Relief"
Materials:
Guidance regarding AMT Patch and forms
New signature requirements for electronic filing
New signature requirement for electronic filing FAQ
Form 8453 for filing paper forms
Form 8879 for e-file signature authorization
Listen to recording [30 minutes]
Asset Building and EITC Audio Conference Call
Date: Thursday, January, 10, 2008
Time: 2pm Eastern, 1pm Central, 21pm Mountain, 11am Pacific
Mode: Audio conference
Speakers: John Wancheck, Lucy Gorham
The National Association of Counties will be holding an audio conference on the importance of Asset Building and the EITC. The conference results from the interest in Asset Building and EITC from the Caddo Parrish in Louisiana, headed by Lindora Baker. We would also like to invite any other coalition/organizations who may benefit from the conference to please join us for this great event, as it will help all of us who are coming into tax season.
As tax season approaches and our local families are getting ready to receive their tax returns, we have an opportunity to help them to better their lives and increase their financial stability. Our first speaker will be John Wancheck, he will be speaking on EITC and the impact that EITC can have on your community. From the research of The National Community Tax Coalition, we found that the value of EITC from 96 coalitions around the nation, in the tax year of 2006, was $244 million. That sounds good, but the IRS has released numbers saying that 15% to 20% of taxpayers who qualify for EITC don’t claim it.
The second speaker will be Lucy Gorham, who will speak about Asset Building. As coalitions and as people who are here to help in our communities, it is up to us to teach and to help our communities learn to become more financially stable. Lucy Gorham is a great speaker and will be able to educate us about how we can best serve our communities.
Materials:
Presentation by John Wancheck [PDF, 70KB, posted], presentation by Lucy Gorham [PDF, 1MB]
TaxWise Installation and Set-Up Procedures Training
Date: Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Time: 1:00 - 3:30pm (Eastern); 12:00am - 2:30pm (Central); 11:00am - 1:30pm (Mountain); 10:00 - 12:30am (Pacific)
Mode: Webinar/Audio Conference
Cost: $25 for paid Affiliates, $50 for Associates
Description: In this webinar/audio conference we will go over the basic installation of TaxWise and the default settings. We will also go over what’s new for 2007 and discuss changes in the software.
Trainers: Larry Garner, Center for Economic Progress
Jose Valdez, Center for Economic Progress
Technical Requirements: This training will be conducted as a “webinar.” The visual component will be broadcasted over a computer, and the audio component will come over a phone line. If you do not have a broadband connection, you may have difficulty keeping up with the visual broadcast.
Instructions: As the training requires you to practice on TaxWise as the trainers demonstrate, it is highly recommended that you use two computers: one for watching the broadcast, the other for practicing on TaxWise. If you only have access to one computer, you will not be able to view the demonstrations when you change your screen to practice on TaxWise. Also you will need to have TaxWise 2007 installed on one computer.
If you have any questions about the technical requirements or how this works, contact Don Wedd, Website and Database Manager, at (312) 630-0264 or dwedd@centerforprogress.org
Materials Required
(1.) TaxWise CD-ROM and Manual
(2.) Basic Installation on one computer
(3.) Phone for audio conference
View the webinar recordings: Part 1 and Part 2
National Tax Assistance Data Collection Project: Learn how to easily incorporate it into your program
Date: Friday, January 4, 2008
Time: 2:00pm (Eastern); 1:00pm (Central); 12:00noon (mountain); 11:00am (Pacific)
Speakers: Brian Rivera, Program Specialist, Center for Economic Progress and Hugo Coello, Systems Associate, Metis Associates
Mode: Webinar
Description: This Webinar will give a basic understanding of data collection standards and practices. We will highlight some of the features of the NTA Data Collection Tool, including the geocoding, reporting, and site survey editing tools. We will also be talking about the Coalition’s role in data collection, and the logistics of submitting data to the Coalition. This Webinar is geared toward organizations that have recently signed for the NTA Data Collection Tool. It is not geared for those that have participated in the tool in the past, or for those who are not signed up to use the tool. For more information on the NTA Data Collection Tool, click here, or contact Brian Rivera at brivera@centerforprogress.org.
Materials: Application Manual, Application Quick Start Guide, Application Installation Procedures
View a recording of the webinar ( MP3, 20MB, posted 1/4/08].
Implementing Quality Review at Your Tax Site: FREE Training Tool Available!
Date: Monday, December 17, 2007
Description: Implementing a quality review process at your tax site may be the single most important step you can take to ensure the accuracy of returns you complete. Furthermore, the IRS requires all VITA sites to have a quality review process. Now, you can train staff and volunteers to be quality reviewers using a new on-line training and certification program. Check out the program at www.eitcplatform.org.
Amy Brown will introduce the tool to NCTC on Monday, December 17, 2007. This webinar will introduce participants to the training tool, provide a demonstration, and explain how site managers can best use the training to implement a successful quality review process.
The training is FREE to all VITA sites and other free and low-cost tax preparation programs serving low-income and EITC-eligible tax filers. This innovative, interactive training course has been designed to mimic the real-world environment of a tax site, and trainees will learn by completing practice quality review scenarios. Trainees can return to the site as often as needed and complete the training on their own time. Once they complete the course and test, they will be able to print out a certification report that they can provide to the tax site manager or program director.
The training will help sites meet IRS requirements. The training has been reviewed by the IRS and the checklist has been approved as a substitute for Form 8158 (Quality Review Sheet). Sites that implement a review process based on this training will meet IRS requirements.
The training has been developed by the Aspen Institute, with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and in close partnership with the National Community Tax Coalition. It is part of a broader effort to test a platform that would support the work of free and low-cost tax preparation and asset-building programs.
Speaker: Amy Brown
Materials: Webinar recording [MP3, 30MB, posted 12/17/07]
Financial Social Work: Changing the way Americans spend, save and live – One client; one dollar, one day and one dream at a time…
Date: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Description: Debt elimination and asset building are at the core of emotional and financial stability, but remain among the most elusive of achievements for every socioeconomic group in America. Financial literacy, while an important component of ending poverty and beginning wealth building, doesn’t change behavior, and until and unless behavior changes, NOTHING changes! This webinar will introduce a psychosocial, multidisciplinary model which incorporates education, motivation and on-going support as a best practice for engaging clients into the process of creating a realistic and effective program plan for sustaining long-term personal and financial stability.
Speaker: Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW
Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW, founder of the Financial Social Work discipline and the Center for Financial Social Work is a therapist, author and nationally known motivational speaker on the topic of money from a psycho-social perspective. The Center offers Financial Social Work Certifications for social workers and non-social workers, along with other psychosocially based programs and products specifically designed to help those living in poverty, or with debt, to increase their emotional stability by improving their financial circumstances.
Materials: Financial Social Work presentation [PDF, 7MB]
Audio recording [MP3, 5.2MB, posted 12/7/07] - not synchronised with visual presentation
.
Providing Free Tax Preparation Services and Savings Accounts for People who are Incarcerated
Date: Wednesday November 14, 2007
Description: In 2007, the Rhode Island Family Life Center expanded its VITA program to include an innovative pilot project to provide free tax preparation services to the incarcerated population at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institutions (RI ACI). The project includes promoting the Earned Income Tax Credit, other tax credits, and offering the opportunity for opening, for direct deposit, a no-fee, no minimum balance savings account which can be opened for the taxpayer by the tax preparer. Come learn how your organization can expand services to the incarcerated.
Speaker: Ronn Fortes, Rhode Island Family Life Center
Moderator: Richart Keller, Providence Asset-Building Coalition
Materials: Rhode Island Family Life Center PowerPoint presentation [1MB]
Asset-Building at Tax Time: Tips and Tools
Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Description: This is one technical assistance conference call in a series geared to providing tools to community-based organization to build and strengthen their tax and asset-building programs.
Provided by the NCTC Asset Building Working Group
The agenda for the call is as follows
Tim Flacke will discuss why refund splitting is important and how best to take advantage of refund splitting to promote asset-building. Product example: savings bonds. Tim is the Director of Business Development at Doorways to Dreams (D2D), a Massachusetts-based non-profit organization.
- Asset Building at Tax Time
Mary Dupont will speak about techniques to encourage asset-building at tax time, including promotion, prompts, and tax site operations. Product example: CDs. Mary is the Executive Director of the Nehemiah Gateway Community Development Corporation located in Delaware.
Bonnie Esposito will discuss her experiences with an alternative Refund Anticipation Loan product and with financial service partners. Bonnie is the Executive Director of AccountAbility Minnesota.
- Moderated Question and Answer (Pam Smith and Rita Eygabroad)
Listen to an audio recording of the call [MP3, 2.5MB, posted 11/13/07]
The NTA Data Collection Project
The conference call is scheduled as follows
Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Time: 3:00 – 4:00 (Eastern); 2:00 – 3:00 (Central); 1:00 – 2:00 (Mountain); 12:00 – 1:00 (Pacific)
Conference Call Number: (866) 740-1260
Access Code: 6300264
Materials:
Agenda
NTA Project Report 2007
NTA 2008 Project Application
NWBA Results Report
VITA Client Density Map
Strategies to Engage Elected Officials in Promoting the Earned Income Tax Credit
Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Time: 2-3pm (EDT); 1-2pm (CDT); 12-1pm (MDT); 11am-12pm (PDT)
Mode: Conference call
Cost: Free
Speakers:
- Treasurer Jack Markell – Delaware State Treasurer
- Ariel Martinez – Executive Director of New Life Corporation
- Dennis Campa - Director of Community Initiatives for the City of San Antonio
The “Strategies to Engage Elected Officials in Promoting the Earned Income Tax Credit” will highlight various ways that elected officials have taken leadership to support and promote EITC outreach efforts. Across the country, leaders have championed and supported efforts to help families and individuals gain financial stability and build assets. While engagement varies, elected officials can be a critical piece of boosting coalition efforts to strengthen families. The call will showcase three instances where government has made a difference for low- and moderate-income residents.
The call will highlight various strategies, including a city-led EITC outreach campaign that connects residents to both the EITC and to alternative refund loan products and other benefits. The call will also highlight a statewide effort led by a state treasurer to promote the EITC and encourage residents to save and participate in financial education, and a federal effort.
Connecting Colleges and Universities
September 11, 2007
A presentation by Mary Dupont, Fred Gordon and Jordan Callaway on Connecting Colleges and Universities to tax preparation.
Handouts: Delaware Tax Preparation Course Description, Student Contractc, Module List, TAX HELP New Mexico presentation
Audio file part 1: Mary Dupon presentation [MP3, 6MB, posted 9/18/07]
Audio file part 2: Fred Gordon and Jordan Callaway presentation [MP3, 5MB, 9/18/07]
Individual Tax Preparation Training
One option available to VITA programs to have an impact beyond the traditional tax preparation model is to enable their low income clients to individually prepare and file their taxes online. Two efforts in the past tax season highlight some of the challenges and opportunities for scale and sustainability through this avenue.
To learn more about individual tax preparation and the impact it could have on your clients, join us:
Presenters: Mimi Turchinetz, Director Of The Mayor Of Boston’s EITC Campaign, (Moderator); Susan Mason, Director of the Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation; Lee Davenport, EITC Consultant for One Economy Corporation; and PJ Kim, Director of Income Policy at FoodChange.
FoodChange
FoodChange, based in New York City, partnered with the Intuit Tax Freedom Project. The two partners hosted Community Tax Events in which local community organizations, such as high schools and the YMCA, allowed the public to use their computer facilities to access the Intuit TurboTax Freedom Edition (http://www.taxfreedom.com), available for free to clients who either qualify for the EITC, have $28,500 in adjusted gross income, or are active duty military and have $52,000 in adjusted gross income. High school students volunteered to teach adults how to use computers while VITA certified tax preparers from FoodChange were on hand to answer tax related questions as clients clicked their way through the TurboTax interview format screens to complete their own taxes.
In FoodChange’s Harlem tax preparation site, 8 computers were set aside for clients to access TurboTax with the guidance of a Tax Coach, who provided both computer and tax assistance along the way. Clients who were single and had no dependents were prioritized for this self-preparation option since FoodChange believed these clients had simpler tax situations and would have an easier initial experience. 227 clients utilized these services and it is estimated that over $178,000 in refunds were returned. 98% of the clients were satisfied with this service, 63% would prepare their own taxes next year, and 28% of these clients were first time filers.
In its after season analysis, FoodChange concluded the average time to completion (almost 2 hours) was longer than initially thought but much of this time was attributable to clients educating themselves about their finances and asking questions to Tax Coaches and VITA volunteers. In addition to this valuable financial education provided to clients, FoodChange also provided the high school volunteers with training to familiarize them with the US tax system and why their involvement was so important to low income communities. All partners learned valuable lessons for the future and are preparing for an even larger impact for next tax season.
One Economy Corporation
One Economy Corporation is a global nonprofit working to maximize the potential of technology to help low-income people improve their lives and enter the economic mainstream. In 2003, seeing the EITC as a vehicle to assist households in asset-building, One Economy facilitated income tax preparation with community partners like Sacramento Department of Human Assistance, FoodChange, Baltimore Housing Authority, and others on theBeehive.org, a website with information and resources about money, health, jobs, school and family. This year an individual tax preparation opportunity allowed clients with adjusted gross income less than $40,000 to prepare and file their own taxes for free. Results of this work include:
- More than 100,000 visitors to the income tax section to access information about local VITA resources,
- 5,000 clients from 50 states and military personnel overseas created accounts and began to file their taxes, and
- 3,450 clients e-filed their taxes and received refunds of more than $5 Million dollars.
Many of the clients accessing tax preparation via the Beehive did so with the assistance of community based organizations, VITA partners, or city social service offices. However, almost 1,000 clients filed their own taxes individually; referred from networks of educational institutions, VITA partners, and youth and community service organizations. Advertising on a popular search engine generated hundreds of successful e-files from rural communities across the nation. In addition to the free tax services, these clients benefited from the financial education and job tools available on the Beehive, such as interactive classes and direct connections to a small business plan developer tool, local personal money management services and other asset building opportunities.
Download this material to accompany the call.
TaxWise Twists and Turns Teleconference
Date: Friday, February 9, 2007
This is an opportunity for free tax preparation programs to hear an overview of the TaxWise software for the 2007 filing season. Joining the call are representatives from TaxWise and Internal Revenue Service who will address questions and concerns highlighted by the field.
Tax Season Kickoff Conference Call
Presenters: Ellie Cimaglia, Director, IRS-SPEC; Jackie Lynn Coleman, Co-Coordinator, National Community Tax Coalition; Don Dill, IRS-SPEC; Cindy Jones, Internal Revenue Service-SPEC Division; David Marzahl, Center for Economic Progress
January 11, 2007 TaxWise: Installation and Set-Up Procedures Training
Material
1. TaxWise setup options and defaults – Larry Garner
2. TaxWise and Knowledge Base – Jose Valdez
Cost: Free to paid affiliates, $25 for others.
December 14, 2006 New Tax Law
Speakers: Barbara DelBene, Senior Training Specialist, Center for Economic Progress and Catherine Harvey, Senior Tax Analyst, Internal Revenue Service
Overview: This seminar will cover the changes to tax law that affect preparation of tax returns for low-income families. Topics include: updates on EITC, expired provisions, such as the tuition and fees deduction, Telephone Excise Tax Refund (TETR), and a review of the Uniform Definition of Child. The workshop will provide practical insight regarding the effects of the 2006 changes, particularly TETR tax forms and strategies to effectively and efficiently encourage application for the Telephone Excise Tax Refund by everyone who is eligible.
Fee: Affiliates-FREE; Non-Affiliates - $25.00.
Materials:
Intake Coordinator Checklist for 2007 [DOC, 30KB]
All Those Kids for 2007 [XLS, 25KB]
Form 1040 EZT [PDF]
Tax Preparation and the Hispanic Immigrant
Date: December 13
Speaker: Blaire Borthayre is a Mexican American consultant in the field of Hispanic marketing. She is the author of four books including
Marketing to the Hispanic Community: A Comprehensive Guide for Tax Preparation Offices
and A Tax Preparer¡¦s Guide: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About ITINS. Blaire has conducted trainings for thousands of tax preparers across the country and has been quoted in many publications including Accountants World, CPA Web, NATP Tax Pro Journal and Practical Accountant.
Overview: An estimated twenty million Hispanic immigrants in the United States are not eligible to obtain a social security number. However, many of these same individuals pay taxes on income and are obligated to file tax returns. Sound confusing? You’re not alone. Tax preparers have been caught off guard by the surge in the immigrant Hispanic population and the issues that accompany serving this client segment.
This webinar will address many of questions that you may have about reaching and serving the foreign born Hispanic consumer. You will learn:
ITINS (Individual Tax Payer Identification Number)
- Why does a client need an ITIN?
- Who qualifies for an ITIN?
- EIC, CTC and ITINS
- What is the process to obtain an ITIN?
- Can a W-2 with an ITIN be electronically filed?
- Do ITINS expire?
- Common barriers in obtaining an ITIN
Immigration
- Is my client information really confidential?
- Can filing taxes help my client with immigration?
- If my client has or needs an ITIN, does that mean he is undocumented?
- Why doesn’t the client just get a social security number?
Culture
- Hispanic beliefs about tax preparation
- Behaviors that prevent client cooperation
- Education and outreach: Strategies for trust building
- Language: Avoiding the pitfalls
Telephone Excise Tax Refund and National EITC Day
Date: Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Speaker: David Williams, EITC Director, Internal Revenue Service
Overview: On December 6, 2006, the National Community Tax Coalition will host a conference call with David Williams the EITC Director at the Internal Revenue Service. Those that joined us during our 5th annual conference Building Prosperity for Working Families in October 2006, had an opportunity to hear from David Williams on the major role that the EITC Director is playing regarding the rollout of the Telephone Excise Tax Refund as well as the development of a National EITC Day. This conference call is an opportunity to provide the field with new and exciting news about the Telephone Excise Tax Refund and the National EITC Day.
Build Savings at Tax Time: The Promise of Split Refunds
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Session Description:
Beginning in 2007, taxpayers will be able to deposit their tax refund into as many as three accounts, e.g. checking, savings, and retirement. This new feature, called refund splitting, is an especially critical savings opportunity for low to moderate income households, as their tax refund is the largest sum of money many receive all year. The presenters will share insights gathered during a three-year pilot project to explore the implications of refund splitting at free tax preparation sites, including strategies that free tax preparation campaigns can employ to promote split refunds and strategies for partnering with financial institutions to provide savings accounts to unbanked taxpayers.
Speakers:
- Jeff Zinsmeyer, Executive Director, D2D Fund, Inc.
- Mary Ruth Herbers, Senior Director for Programs, Center for Economic Progress/National Community Tax Coalition
- Pam Smith, Manager of the EITC/VITA Program and Volunteer Programs, Community Action Agency of Tulsa County
United Way of America is partnering with the National Community Tax Coalition and D2D Fund, Inc. to offer this webinar.
