Inside: Tax Time Savings Webinar, FSA Toolkit and More!
No images? Click here
From the Editor
Dear John,
We’re crazy for you! And crazy for taxes! This month, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we want to take the time to show some love to the amazing volunteers, site coordinators and program managers that make up the great VITA program. Even if you don’t fall into one of these categories, thank you for all you do in support of the VITA program and the people we serve!
As the filing season ramps up, be on the lookout for weekly editions of the Tax Prep Dispatch featuring tools, tips and information to help maintain our high-quality standards. And as you encounter challenges, or have general questions about your peers’ experiences and solutions, the Tax_Roundtable listserv is the best way to instantly connect with peers across the country.
Please be sure to share our newsletter and invite your partners to join the Taxpayer Opportunity Network and stay engaged with us throughout 2020!
Many Happy Returns!
Rebecca M. Thompson
Project Director, Taxpayer Opportunity Network
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
Leo Buscaglia
Spotlight: Evaluating Savings Behaviors Webinar Coming Soon!
If you’ve had a keen eye on our mailings, you’ll know about our latest report: “Evaluating Tax Time Savings Interventions and Behaviors.” This report summarizes nine months of research exploring the effectiveness of tax time savings interventions, as well as the savings behaviors, outcomes and financial well-being for tax filers across three separate platforms: the VITA program, online tax filing through Turbo Tax Free File Product (TTFFP) and SaverLife’s saving program. Join us for a webinar on February 20 to learn more about the report, research and findings, and what it means for your work and the families you serve.
Be sure to register for the webinar and we look forward to sharing with you soon!
Updates from the Network
VITA & The Census
As trusted resources in your communities, VITA programs and volunteers are in the perfect position to encourage people to complete their census forms once they are done with their taxes. Community Action Partnership has developed a toolkit with the information and resources you need to ensure that you and your volunteers are informed and comfortable talking about the census.
FSA Toolkit
If you’re still mystified by the Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA) options for clients and how one, or several of them, can be seamlessly integrated into your program, we’ve compiled a short FSA Toolkit to help guide you. It includes instructions on how to obtain a custom URL (so you can get credit for the returns) as well as a matrix showing some of the basic questions and qualifications for each product!
America Saves Week 2020 is OPEN!
America Saves Week is February 24 - 29, 2020. Hosted by America Saves since 2007, the week is an annual celebration and a call to action for everyday Americans to commit to saving successfully. Through the support of thousands of participating organizations, together we encourage our local communities to do a "gut-check" on their finances and saving behaviors.
Sign up for America Saves Week 2020!
New CFPB Report Released
The CFPB has released a new paper following its Tax Time Savings cohort of 75 VITA programs from 33 states and Washington, DC. This paper covers the newest findings from the cohort and the types of tools, resources and training that are on the cutting edge of the tax-time financial capability sphere.
Self-Employment Tax Calculator
The Center on Budget & Policy Priorities’ Get It Back Campaign and CASH Campaign of Maryland launched a new tool to help self-employed workers calculate their estimated tax payments.
Tools and Information for the Field
Updates from the IRS and SPEC
Quality Alerts Now Live!
If you've got any questions or missed any of the IRS Quality and Tax Alerts, you can find them here! The first Quality Site Requirement Alert of the year surrounds Quality Site Requirement #4 so be sure to read about it!
TaxSlayer Partner Call Schedule
You can join your fellow tax preparation partners and TaxSlayer representatives to help answer your questions during the filing season.
The call schedule is listed below. Each call will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET.
Each call has a unique dial-in, so please use the following numbers:
- February 13, 2020
- Dial-in: 888-251-2949
- Access Code: 3719634#
- February 27, 2020
- Dial-in: 888-251-2949
- Access Code: 2364004#
Site Coordinator Corner
The filing season is here! Be sure to get your site coordinator materials ready by going to the IRS SPEC Site Coordinator Corner here!
IRS SPEC Partner Webcast Schedule
Click here to get the full 2020 schedule for IRS SPEC Partner Webcasts to ensure that you stay up-to-date on the latest news and resources from IRS SPEC.
Reminder: TaxSlayer Suggestion Box
The VITA/TCE Suggestion Box is designed for you to share your feedback and ideas on the software that will assist you in servicing your taxpayers. Click here to submit your suggestions.
Latest Tax Prep Dispatch
What's New with the Forms?
December 5, 2019
What's New?
November 5, 2019
I Hereby Pledge
October 4, 2019
Voter Registration at Tax Time
August 30, 2019
What's Going on with Form W-4?
July 25, 2019
Learning Opportunities
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
Evaluating Tax Time Savings Interventions and Behaviors
February 20 | 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Learn more about our latest tax time savings research and how it applies to your work! Register today for this webinar!
Making Tax Time Work for Everyone: Strengthening Tax Credits for Working Families
February 6 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | United States Capitol Visitor Center
Prosperity Now and Tax Credits for Workers and Their Families, with the support of H&R Block, will bring together policymakers, tax time researchers and community tax preparers on Capitol Hill for a lunchtime discussion on ways to continue strengthening the tax time moment.
If you have ideas for future learning events, stories or resources, contact us at [email protected].
Recent Webinars and Events
2020 Prosperity Now Scorecard Data Launch
This webinar kicked off the 2020 Prosperity Now Scorecard now complete with city, county, metro area, Congressional District and tribal area levels!
Don't Spin Your Wheels: VITA-Train Year 2 Launch
The VITA-Train has pulled out of the station! Check out this webinar to get the scoop on the most recent VITA-Train!
Lunch and Learn Series: Volunteer Management Software
Each hour-long session focused on both a peer-led lens and a presentation from the software vendor which culminated in an interactive question and answer session with attendees.
Find out more about the Voter Filer Registration project and how you can implement it at tax time and your site!
