Additional Team Taxwise Volunteers Needed!

The Community Forum for Economic Development is part of Team
TaxWise, the St. Joseph County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Coalition for 2009.  Since the IRS implemented the Volunteer Income
Tax Assistance  program in 1969, thousands of volunteers have provided
free tax assistance and prepared millions of U.S. federal tax returns. 
The VITA Program offers free tax preparation to people with low to
moderate income.

Team TaxWise is organizing an electronically implemented tax
preparation program to maximize the financial returns for St. Joseph
County residents.  The target population for our efforts includes
people eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit — those with an
adjusted gross income less than:
– $38,646 ($41,646 for married filing jointly) and more than one qualifying child,
– $33,995 ($36,995 for married filing jointly) with one qualifying child, and
– $12,880 ($15,880 for married filing jointly) with no qualifying child (taxpayer must be between the ages of 25 and 65).
This year, the maximum credit is $4,824 for more than one qualifying
child, $2917 for one qualifying child, and $438 for no qualifying
children.

The Earned Income Tax Credit provides an important financial asset for
low income taxpayers.  However, a significant portion of their return
could be lost to commercial preparers who offer "instant" refunds that
are actually loans with exorbitant interest rates.  Because we will be
filing electronically, Team TaxWise can offer quick (though not
instant) refunds without charge.

Training for volunteer tax preparers will be provided by IRS
specialists; from four to eight hours of instruction is necessary. In
addition to formal instruction, the IRS provides training guides and
other supplementary materials to be used with TaxWise Online, an
internet based tax preparation program available through the IRS
website.  All preparers must successfully pass an electronic
certification test before providing tax assistance.

Ivy Tech Community College has made available its computer laboratories
during the weekend of January 30/31.  On Friday from 4 to 7:30 pm and
Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm, qualified volunteer tax preparers will
complete and file federal and state tax returns for low income
residents of St. Joseph County.  We invite you to be part of that
team.  Teresa
Marcy is coordinating the volunteer efforts of CFED participants. 
Teresa is a veteran of a similar but smaller effort last year and can
answer any questions that you have about the project.  You can contact
her by email at tmarcy@saintmarys.edu or by phone at 272-3089.

If you are unable to volunteer to be trained as a tax preparer, but
would like to participate in this effort, we also need volunteer
"screeners" who will provide support to the tax preparers at the return
preparation site.  Screeners will ensure that the taxpayer has the
necessary information required to complete his/her return.  Training
for screeners will require from one to two hours and is scheduled for
Saturday, January 24, at 10 am, at the United Way office on Jefferson
Blvd.  Please let Teresa know if you would like to participate as a
screener.