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NEW! High Schools: A Resource for Free Tax Preparation
Additional Toolkits and Materials
Produced by the Native Financial Education Coalition (NFEC), this useful resource is designed to help tribal leaders conduct tax credit outreach. This guide includes many resources including an overview of the EIC and how Native families and communities can benefit from claiming it and a list of ten things tribal leaders can do to promote the EIC. NFEC also publishes Building Native Communities: Financial Skills for Families, a curriculum for financial education providers in Native communities that includes a chapter on the EIC. To find out where these guides are being used and to order free copies contact First Nations Oweesta Corporation, (605) 342-3770 or info@oweesta.org.
Corporate Voices for Working Families
(CVWF) has developed an EIC tool kit for employers. CVWF is a non-partisan, non-profit corporate membership organization created to bring the private sector voice into the public dialogue on issues affecting working families. The Corporate Voices tool kit provides information for employers nationwide about how to notify employees about the EIC. The tool kit includes posters, a calendar of dates to remember and pay check stuffers. Sections of the tool kit can be downloaded by visiting: www.cvworkingfamilies.org/publications/2/10/17 .For more information contact Allison Tomei, Communications & Government Relations Coordinator, (202) 333-8922 or atomei@cvworkingfamilies.org.
Helping Working Families, National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families
This Action Kit suggests specific outreach steps that city officials can take to assist low-income working families in obtaining the Earned Income Credit, as well as other benefits such as children’s health insurance and food stamps. To order a hard copy, email iyef@nlc.org or leave a message at 202-626-3014.
Maximizing the EITC in Your Community: A Toolkit for Municipal Leaders, National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families
This toolkit offers a detailed guide to the opportunities for municipal leadership, including: public education to ensure that eligible families know about the EIC and other relevant supports; free or low-cost tax preparation campaigns to help them claim the credit; and efforts to maximize the value of the credit by providing incentives to save or make investments that will promote self-sufficiency. For questions about the toolkit contact Sarah Bainton, (202) 626-3044 or Bainton@nlc.org .
Refugee Works: The National Center for Refugee Employment and Self-Sufficiency is a national program of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service that supports job development efforts for refugees. The organization offers a curriculum that provides information about the EIC for those who speak English as a second language. The curriculum, which includes beginning through more advanced levels, consists of easy-to-follow, detailed lesson plans, including group activities, handouts and worksheets. To obtain the curriculum or for more information contact Jonathan Lucus Refugee Works, (410) 230-2886 or jlucus@refugeeworks.org .
National Coalitions
The National Community Tax Coalition
(NCTC) is a project of the Center for Economic Progress in Chicago, Illinois. NCTC was formed to bring together the expertise of community-based free tax preparation and low-income tax credit outreach groups from around the country. The NCTC website features a Technical Assistance Resource Library providing materials on creating and operating free tax preparation programs, outreach and marketing, and financial literacy and asset-building programs.
For more information contact Jackie Lynn Coleman, Coordinator, NCTC, (312) 630-0261 or jlcoleman@centerforprogress.org .
National EITC Outreach Partnership
The Center, the National Community Tax Coalition, National League of Cities, The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the IRS convened the National EITC Outreach Partnership to connect national EITC outreach partner organizations with the growing network of local EITC outreach organizations, free tax preparation programs and asset development efforts. This Partnership explores the best ways to involve a larger number of national organizations to engage their local partners in EITC Outreach Campaigns. The Partnership’s website contains descriptions of efforts by over 20 national organizations participating in the Partnership and also contains detailed information on local community tax outreach partnerships nationwide.
The Native Financial Education Coalition (NFEC)
is facilitated by First Nations Oweesta Corporation. Since 2000, NFEC has worked to increase financial education in Native communities and build the capacity of tribes and tribal organizations to provide financial skills and training. NFEC also publishes two training guides for Native families and Tribal Leaders. To learn more about the training guides, see the “Toolkits and Materials” section. For more information about NFEC, contact Noorie Brantmeier , NFEC Coordinator.
Reports and Resources
Reports
EIC Reports by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Click here to view all EIC publications by CBPP.
The Brookings Institution Earned Income Tax Credit Series has released several reports on EIC claims. The website also provides data on EIC and CTC claims by zip code, for tax years 1997 through 2004.
Exploring United Way Engagement in EITC Campaigns: A Report to the Field, United Way of America. This report details the contributions of local United Ways that promote and advance the EIC. It explains why United Ways participate in EIC campaigns, discusses the link between the EIC and asset building initiatives, and describes the various levels of engagement by United Ways. The report concludes with suggestions for United Ways interested in participating in a local EIC campaign. To receive a pdf copy of this report email Laura Scherler.
The EITC: Expectation, Knowledge, Use, and Economic and Social Mobility, Timothy M. Smeeding, Katherin Ross Phillips, and Michael O’Connor. Survey of low-income taxpayers expected use of EITC refunds for both immediate needs and future family needs.
The Earned Income Tax Credit: Participation, Compliance and Anti-poverty Effectiveness, John Karl Scholz. This is the most detailed study on EITC participation rates which cites that an estimate of between 80 to 86 percent of those eligible for the EITC claim it.
Hispanic Families and the Earned Income Tax Credit, National Council of La Raza. This report calls the EIC “the most effective and efficient anti-poverty program for Hispanic Americans. “The report outlines the importance of the EIC to Hispanics and offers suggestions for improving the credit for Hispanics and other low-wage workers. Contact Magdalena Lezama at (202) 785-1670 for additional information or visit www.nclr.org/content/publications/detail/1397/ and register at the NCLR web site to download a copy of the article for free.
One Step Forward, One Step Back: Progress Seen in Efforts Against High-Priced Refund Anticipation Loans, but Even More Abusive Products Introduced. Consumer Federation of America and the NationalConsumerLawCenter (NCLC). This is a 2007 report on refund anticipation loans. Other publications about RALs and other tax refund products can be found on the RALs page of the NCLC website: www.nclc.org/initiatives/refund_anticipation/.
Screening Tools to Help Working Families Access Public Benefits, National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families. This guide provides an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of different multi-benefit screening tools, and factors to consider when selecting one for national or local use.
Who Knows About the Earned Income Tax Credit? The Urban Institute. This report presents the findings of a survey of low-income families’ knowledge about the EIC. A major finding was that low-income Hispanic parents are much less likely than low-income non-Hispanic parents to know about the EIC. In addition, former TANF participants are much more likely to know about the EIC than current TANF participants. These knowledge differences are related to differences in the rates of receiving the credit. Contact:
Katherine Ross Phillips at (202) 261-5709 for additional information.
Resources
AARP’s Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation services for seniors and also to low-income families. The website includes a directory of Tax-Aide sites that is searchable by zip code.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) Money Smart Financial Education Curriculum. This financial education program for adults can be used by banks, community-based organizations and government agencies. This curriculum includes information about free tax preparation, the EIC, CTC and other tax credits for low- and moderate-income families. Money Smart is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian.
The State EITC Online Resource Center provides research and resources about state EICs and efforts to enact the credit in particular states.
Teleduction, an independent production company based in Wilmington, Delaware, can customize a package of four 30-second PSAs about free tax preparation and the EIC (two for television and two for radio in English and Spanish) for Outreach Campaigns anywhere across the country. These commercials have been used by several Outreach Campaigns, including the Delaware EIC Outreach Campaign. To view samples of the PSAs and to place an order visit www.teleduction.com/tax.htm or call (302) 429-0303. For more information about how the Delaware Campaign used the commercials contact: Mary Dupont, the Nehemiah gateway Community Development Corporation, 302-655-0803 or mary@marydupont.com.
Public Benefits
Tips for offering Help With Public Benefits at a VITA Site
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More Questions and Answers on Tax Credits and Public Benefits
Consumer Credit Counseling and Money Management Services
Consumer Credit Counseling & Money Management Services 2010
More Outreach Strategies to Link to IDA Programs & Other Asset Development Strategies
NEW! Workers Employed in Green Jobs
Workers Employed in Green Jobs 2010
Links to Green Jobs Organizations
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Engaging Green Jobs Employers & Training Programs in Tax Credit Outreach — Why It’s Important
Utility Companies
NEW! Individuals Released From Prison or Workers with A Relative In Prison
Individuals Released From Prison or Workers with A Relative In Prison 2010
Workers with Disabilities and Families Raising Children with Disabilities
Workers with Disabilities and Families Raising Children with Disabilities 2010.
Fact Sheet on the Tax Credits and People with Disabilities
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More Questions and Answers on the Tax Credits for People with Disabilities
Immigrants and Workers Whose First Language is Not English
Immigrants and Workers Whose First Language is Not English 2010
Workers Not Living with Children
Workers Not Living with Children 2010
Fact Sheet on the Tax Credits and Workers Not Living With Children
Workers Who Are Homeless
Rural Communities
Foster Parents, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Other Relative Caregivers
Foster Parents, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren and Other Relative Caregivers 2010
Tribal and Native Communities
Military Personnel and their Families
Military Personnel and their Families 2010
More Questions and Answers on the Tax Credits and Military Personnel