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Dear John,
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of another filing season whizzing past us! Thank you to all of the VITA volunteers, staff and program partners for successfully navigating an incredibly challenging filing season. It is your dedication and commitment that makes the VITA program as strong as it is today. In the time I have been a part of TON, we’ve grown our VITA federal funding by $18 million, connected more than 7,000 members to our resources and created exciting projects like the VITA-Train, Start the Savings Toolkit and more. All of this would not be possible without your support.
Beyond looking back, we are excited for what’s in store in the coming months. First, we have our Tax Season Debrief on June 1 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET. This 90-minute, “call-in” show shines the spotlight on you and your peers in the tax preparation field. You will not want to miss out on this event. Second, the End of Season Survey will go live in early June. Please answer the survey to help us capture your experiences and reflections on the filing season and the support and resources TON provides. If you want a sneak peek at the survey, check it out here.
Please encourage your volunteers and partners to join TON so they can stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the community tax preparation field.
We Made It!
Rebecca M. Thompson, Director, Field Engagement & TON
“The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.”
— Albert Einstein
Spotlight: Tax Season Debrief Registration Live!
This filing season has been one for the history books! As we’ve navigated a full season of pandemic tax preparation, there has been no shortage of successes, challenges and fascinating stories along the way. The Taxpayer Opportunity Network team is looking forward to hearing from you during our annual Tax Season Debrief on June 1 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET. This 90-minute, interactive “call-in” show gives you a chance to hear from your peers in the tax preparation field. In years past, we’ve seen poems, riddles and tax jokes – so you do not want to miss out on this debrief! We will not provide a full recording of the webinar, but we’ll be sure to share any notes with all registrants.
Updates from the Network
End of Season Survey Released Soon!
Keep an eye out next month for the End of Season Survey. The data you provide helps TON make the case for VITA with our national, state and local partners. Please take a chance to review the survey draft so you’ll be ready to answer the survey. We appreciate all of the help you provide, and we’re looking forward to getting a clear picture of the VITA landscape later this summer.
GetYourRefund.org Volunteer Opportunity
GetYourRefund is looking for volunteers to mobilize a national effort for postseason filing. This effort, known as the National Tax Justice Service Team, needs your help. Join this effort today by filling out the interest form. Thank you for your help on this project, and we’re excited to get started!
CBPP Outreach Materials
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Get It Back Campaign has released a new Toolkit for Stimulus Check Outreach to Immigrant Families. It features a media guide, talking points, sample social media posts, flyers, a radio PSA script, text message and email. The toolkit is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish and Vietnamese. In addition to families with immigrants, the toolkit can be used through the remainder of the year to connect with harder-to-reach populations such as families with no or low incomes, families with a member who is incarcerated, people who lack secure housing, people without Internet access and BIPOC
(Black, Indigenous and people of color) communities.
VITA Leadership Institute Resources
Are you ready for the next VITA Grant Application Cycle? The VITA Leadership Institute Resource page is live with fully updated worksheets to help with your VITA grant and program planning. You can check out the cultivated resources from the cohort and use them for your own program as you prepare for your VITA grant application and with your planning for next filing season.
Virtual VITA Toolkit
Need help tackling the Virtual VITA process? Prosperity Now has developed a Virtual VITA toolkit with the resources and supports to help you transition to Virtual VITA. The toolkit addresses elements of the Virtual VITA process from both the client and volunteer perspectives. Check it out today!
MyFreeTaxes
MyFreeTaxes.com is still live for 2021. You can use the link for the direct MyFreeTaxes site and the partner portal. Check out MyFreeTaxes and share with your community today!
EIP Guide
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau updated their guide on the three Economic Impact Payments in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog. This guide answers a series of FAQs based on the newest tax law information, all in one convenient location.
Second Stimulus Check FAQs
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Get It Back Campaign has resources on the second stimulus checks, stimulus eligibility for immigrants and what to do if someone didn’t get their first or second stimulus checks. Stay tuned for additional stimulus/Recovery Rebate Credit materials.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published a blog on the Recovery Rebate Credit, EITC lookback and reasons to file. Be sure to pass this on to your partners.
RideShareTaxHelp is Now Live
RideShareTaxHelp.com is updated for the 2021 tax filing season. This project of the Get It Back Campaign and CASH Campaign of Maryland provides comprehensive guidance on tax filing for Uber and Lyft drivers. Tax info for food couriers will be added soon.
Unemployment Benefits and Taxes
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Get It Back Campaign has new resources to help people understand taxes and unemployment benefits: a guide to paying federal, state and local taxes on unemployment benefits and a guide to the 1099-G Form and how different states deliver it.
Self-Employment Tax Calculator
The Get It Back Campaign and CASH Campaign of Maryland have updated their estimated payments calculator that is part of the Roadmap to Rideshare Taxes project. This tool helps self-employed workers calculate their estimated tax payments.
Knights of the Tax Roundtable
Knights of the Tax Roundtable puts a face to the names you see on the Tax Roundtable and brings answers to your burning tax hot topics.
Tools and Information for the Field
Updates from the IRS and SPEC
VITA Grant Application Window Now Open
The 2022 TCE and VITA grant window is open until June 4. If you’re interested in applying for a VITA grant, check out IRS Publication 4671 for complete instructions. You can also check out the VITA and TCE webpages on IRS.gov and Publication 1101 for TCE for more information. If you have questions, or would like thought partnership on your grant application, we are offering Office Hours to support you. Schedule time here.
TaxSlayer Support Info:
Please use the following information to create a support ticket with TaxSlayer this filing season:
Phone: 1-800-421-6346
Email: [email protected]
Support Hours (Beginning April 16):
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
Also, be sure to check out the TaxSlayer VITA/TCE Blog for important software updates.
IRS SPEC Partner Webcast Schedule
Click here to get the full 2021 schedule for IRS SPEC Partner Webcasts to ensure that you stay up-to-date on the latest news and resources from IRS SPEC.
Link and Learn
The online certification and tax law curriculum from IRS SPEC is available for use by VITA/TCE volunteers. This Fact Sheet and Volunteer Tax Alert provide important information necessary for certification.
Do you have thoughts or ideas on how TaxSlayer could be improved to help you run your sites more efficiently and make it easier to prepare and file more quality returns? Share them in the VITA/TCE Suggestion Box. Your feedback is needed for both federal and state returns, as well as reports.
Learning
Opportunities
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
June 1 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
Join our 90-minute “call-in” show to cover the ups and downs of this past filing season. We’re excited to hear from you so come in ready to share!
Ensuring and Expanding Access to Alternative Tax Preparation Services Fireside Chats
Join the Prosperity Now team and our latest cohort on the hottest topics in the tax preparation space for three fireside chats in June.
Session 1: Volunteer Management for Alternative Service Delivery – June 10 | 3 p.m. ET
Session 2: Alternative Service Delivery and Client Outreach – June 15 | 3 p.m. ET
Session 3: Engaging Partners in a Coalition to Advance your Cause – June 28 | 3 p.m. ET
If you have ideas for future learning events, stories or resources, contact us at [email protected].
Recent Webinars and Events
The ARPA Opportunity Webinar
This webinar hosted by our partners at Commonwealth tackles some of the opportunities to come from the American Rescue Plan Act. Topics covered include the role of FinTech, financial security and more.
Virtual Advocacy
Want to get started on virtual advocacy, but don’t know how to start? To find resources for effective advocacy at every level, visit our Prosperity Now Advocacy Toolkit.
How Tax Policy Can Help Low-Income Americans’ Pandemic Plight
Feb. 26, 2021
In this episode of Tax Notes Talk, Rebecca Thompson of Prosperity Now, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected low-income communities and families of color in the United States, and what tax policy tools could help them.
VITA Leadership Institute Year One Analysis
Oct. 22, 2020
After a successful VITA Leadership Institute, we want you to join us in sharing our results and how we plan on moving forward. This is a can’t-miss event for newer programs wanting to get an inside look at all aspects of a great VITA program.
TON COVID-19 Listening Session
April 28, 2020
We’ve broken down the most impactful resources from our national partners around COVID-19 as well as the new GetYourRefund.org virtual VITA pilot.
Evaluating Tax Time Savings Behaviors
Have you ever wondered what tax time savings and behaviors look like on the national scale? Well, wonder no more because the Taxpayer Opportunity Network is here to provide you with the answers.
Latest Tax Prep Dispatch
The Shrinking Off-season
July 1, 2020
Reset Button
May 1, 2020
Non-Filers 101
April 15, 2020
Alternative Service Delivery Tips!
April 6, 2020
Signed, Sealed, Delivered?
March 30, 2020
The Drop-Off Process
March 19, 2020
COVID-19 and VITA
March 13, 2020
