EITC for Rural EITC for Rural Places Places

Good Strategies, Good Strategies, Resources and Resources and

StoriesStories

Four basic strategies for linking rural families to

tax benefits1.1. Promote an existing local free Promote an existing local free

tax preparation program. tax preparation program.

2.2. Get your families to a nearby Get your families to a nearby program. program.

3.3. Bring in sessions run by a Bring in sessions run by a nearby program. nearby program.

4.4. Start your own local program.Start your own local program.

Before you start: Do a little homework

• Examine the need / opportunity in your Examine the need / opportunity in your communitycommunity

• Investigate. Is anyone else serving your Investigate. Is anyone else serving your area with free or low-cost tax services?area with free or low-cost tax services?– If so, explore a partnership.If so, explore a partnership.

• Better not to have to bake this cake from Better not to have to bake this cake from scratch!scratch!

– What do you and others have to offer?What do you and others have to offer? • Tax preparation experience? Tax preparation experience? • Meeting space? Meeting space? • VolunteersVolunteers• Access to customers and other relationships?Access to customers and other relationships?

Promoting a programWhether you are building a program Whether you are building a program

you have, partnering with a neighbor, you have, partnering with a neighbor, or creating something new – or creating something new –

promotion is criticalpromotion is critical

– Go where the customers are Go where the customers are • Stores, schools, the workplace, Stores, schools, the workplace,

laundromats, food banks, etc.laundromats, food banks, etc.• Non-profit service agenciesNon-profit service agencies• Government program sitesGovernment program sites

– Post flyers, pamphletsPost flyers, pamphlets

– Contact community partnersContact community partners

– Public service announcementsPublic service announcements

Recruiting partners

No matter which road you take No matter which road you take – Partnerships are key!– Partnerships are key!

• IRS SPEC OfficeIRS SPEC Office• Local business communityLocal business community• Financial institutionsFinancial institutions• Local non-profitsLocal non-profits• Government agenciesGovernment agencies• Tax prep companies even!Tax prep companies even!• Local schools – Local schools –

• the tale of Veniyetta Aikensthe tale of Veniyetta Aikens

…and don’t forget elected officials!

• Bully-pulpit for promotionBully-pulpit for promotion

• Resources for operationsResources for operations

• Access to government agenciesAccess to government agencies

• Policy influencePolicy influence “…“…the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the the best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the

best job creation measure to come out of best job creation measure to come out of Congress."Congress." - President Ronald Reagan- President Ronald Reagan

“ “The EITC keeps people off welfare. It offsets The EITC keeps people off welfare. It offsets other forms of federal assistance. It gives other forms of federal assistance. It gives American parents the security they need to enter American parents the security they need to enter the work force.”the work force.” – Senator Patty Murray– Senator Patty Murray

Working with nearby programs

What they are most likely What they are most likely to need from you: to need from you:

• Promotion and participant Promotion and participant recruitmentrecruitment

• Additional volunteersAdditional volunteers

• Space in your communitySpace in your community

• Financial supportFinancial support

If you are If you are starting your own starting your own

EITC program…EITC program…

……for one day or for four for one day or for four months…months…

……here are some of the basics!here are some of the basics!

Basic components of a tax assistance

program• Trained, supervised volunteersTrained, supervised volunteers

• Training program, whether in person or Training program, whether in person or on-lineon-line

• Location to provide the service, with Location to provide the service, with ample room for various activitiesample room for various activities

• Outreach and publicity to inform the Outreach and publicity to inform the public of the servicepublic of the service

• Funding and other resources (e.g., Funding and other resources (e.g., equipment, snacks, child care…)equipment, snacks, child care…)

Planning your efforts

• Figure out timeline and costsFigure out timeline and costs– Start in the fall before or earlier – it takes Start in the fall before or earlier – it takes

time to organize, train volunteers, etc.time to organize, train volunteers, etc.

• Know when you have to start the Know when you have to start the program:program:

– Remember lower income families file early!Remember lower income families file early!

• Figure out how much it will cost to run a Figure out how much it will cost to run a program:program:

– Space Space – Computers Computers – MaterialsMaterials

Volunteer recruitment

• Try college or high school students – Try college or high school students – – ““Tax Help New Mexico.”Tax Help New Mexico.”

•http://www.cnm.edu/taxhelp/http://www.cnm.edu/taxhelp/

• Local professionals make great Local professionals make great volunteersvolunteers– Teachers, preachers, bankers, and more!Teachers, preachers, bankers, and more!

• Americorps volunteers Americorps volunteers – The backbone of many programs.The backbone of many programs.

Finding resources

• Get tax prep training. Offered by:Get tax prep training. Offered by:– Local partner(s)Local partner(s)– IRS SPEC OfficeIRS SPEC Office (more later)(more later)– OnlineOnline

• Check online resources for all kinds Check online resources for all kinds of helpof help– National Community Tax CoalitionNational Community Tax Coalition– EITC PlatformEITC Platform (more later)(more later)

Good IdeasGood IdeasRural ConsiderationsRural Considerations

Promising Rural Promising Rural PracticesPractices

Quilting in Other Quilting in Other OpportunitiesOpportunities

Good ideas for increasing access to tax benefits

• Reach out to families experiencing Reach out to families experiencing employment changes - workforce agenciesemployment changes - workforce agencies

• Encourage agencies to include tax credit Encourage agencies to include tax credit information or questions in their resource information or questions in their resource materialsmaterials

e.g., Illinois Dept. of Human Servicese.g., Illinois Dept. of Human Services

• Involve businesses: utility companies, Involve businesses: utility companies, grocery stores grocery stores e.g., Southern Good Faith Funde.g., Southern Good Faith Fund

• Involve employers of low-wage workers – Involve employers of low-wage workers – paycheck stuffers, info with W-2’spaycheck stuffers, info with W-2’s

More good ideas for increasing access to tax

benefits• Work with local schools- send info home Work with local schools- send info home

on report card day on report card day (or in “backpacks”)

• Involve the local community college or Involve the local community college or university – with electronic university – with electronic communication, it’s easy to get communication, it’s easy to get information out!information out!

• Ensure that materials are language-Ensure that materials are language-appropriate; use bilingual materialsappropriate; use bilingual materials– e.g., Southern TX Adult Resource & Training e.g., Southern TX Adult Resource & Training

CenterCenter

Rural Considerations

• Broadband access Broadband access – Online program may not work where you Online program may not work where you

areare– Software version increases privacy issuesSoftware version increases privacy issues

• Transportation and accessTransportation and access– Distances create transportation barriersDistances create transportation barriers

•For customers…For customers…•……andand for volunteers! for volunteers!

Promising Rural Practices

• Circuit-rider programsCircuit-rider programs– Takes the volunteers to the people– Works best with laptops– Volunteers may be picked up from central location

• Mail-in program – Iowa example Mail-in program – Iowa example (See packet (See packet handout)handout)

– Trains local volunteers to assemble information– Ship information to central location for processing– Requires a very strong program to receive IRS

approval

• Partnerships with private accountantsPartnerships with private accountants– Utilize professionals already in the community– Negotiate a “special rate” for low-income families

Quilting with other services

• Careful about adding extras the first year Careful about adding extras the first year – EITC Carolinas experience

• Connection to asset-building Connection to asset-building – Remember savings bonds

• Connection to bank accountsConnection to bank accounts– Remember direct deposit

• Connection to advocacy Connection to advocacy

• Recruit for other RuFES-helping servicesRecruit for other RuFES-helping services

A Few Online ResourcesA Few Online Resources

• NCTC – www.tax-coalition.org

• EITC Carolinas – www.EITC-Carolinas.org

• EITC Data – Brookings Institution– http://www.brookings.edu/projects/EITC.a

spx

• EITCPlatform – www.eitcplatform.org (More on this later)