(no subject)
Posted on Sun, Feb. 19, 2006
Earned income credit tax help free - Volunteers in Akron to calculate refunds
By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer
Volunteer tax preparers at Akron Summit Community Action on Saturday wore black vests with the letter A emblazoned on them.
Don't worry, the A doesn't stand for Audit, it stands for AmeriCorps.
An eight-member team of volunteers from California, Oregon, Nebraska, Minnesota, Florida and Connecticut have been in Akron since Jan. 19 to help low-income workers file for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The volunteers, ages 18 to 24, received 20 hours of Internal Revenue Service training on tax law and learned how to use the software. They work with six local volunteer tax preparers and four greeters at Community Action.
The team started their 10-month volunteer commitment on Oct. 3 and their first assignment was Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.
While in Akron, they also have logged volunteer time at the Haven of Rest, the International Institute and the Battered Women's Shelter.
They leave Akron on Friday for Washington, D.C., then return for another tour of duty in the Gulf states.
Whether such volunteers will return to Akron next year is in doubt. The program will be cut under President Bush's proposed 2007 budget.
The team is part of the federal AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program, which is based on the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s.
``This is a difficult decision, given the popularity of the program with our participants and partners, particularly in disaster response,'' according to a statement by AmeriCorps Chief Executive David Eisner. ``However, the NCCC is costly compared to other AmeriCorps programs and was rated poorly in a recent federal management assessment.''
Community Action had hoped to keep the team a few weeks longer this year, but Hurricane Katrina shortened the team's scheduled stay in Akron.
The agency already has filed 960 returns this year with estimated refunds of nearly $2 million.
By March 5 of last year, the agency had done 536 returns and finished the tax season with 863 returns for $1.2 million in refunds.
Congress originally approved Earned Income Tax Credit in 1975, in part to offset the burden of Social Security taxes and to provide an incentive to work, according to the IRS.
When the credit is larger than the taxes owed, the government refunds the difference. The maximum refund possible this year is $4,400.
Eligible workers filing for the first time can also recover refunds from the previous three years.
Summit County residents filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit can make an appointment for free tax preparation by calling the 24-hour appointment line at 866-504-7400.
However, on Saturdays through April 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., walk-ins are welcome at 250 Opportunity Parkway.
Any Summit County resident, regardless of income, can receive the free tax preparation and filing, depending on how complicated the return is.
The EITC income thresholds include $11,750 for an individual, $31,030 for someone raising one child and $35,263 for someone raising more than one child.
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John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or 1-800-777-7232 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com
Earned income credit tax help free - Volunteers in Akron to calculate refunds
By John Higgins
Beacon Journal staff writer
Volunteer tax preparers at Akron Summit Community Action on Saturday wore black vests with the letter A emblazoned on them.
Don't worry, the A doesn't stand for Audit, it stands for AmeriCorps.
An eight-member team of volunteers from California, Oregon, Nebraska, Minnesota, Florida and Connecticut have been in Akron since Jan. 19 to help low-income workers file for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The volunteers, ages 18 to 24, received 20 hours of Internal Revenue Service training on tax law and learned how to use the software. They work with six local volunteer tax preparers and four greeters at Community Action.
The team started their 10-month volunteer commitment on Oct. 3 and their first assignment was Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.
While in Akron, they also have logged volunteer time at the Haven of Rest, the International Institute and the Battered Women's Shelter.
They leave Akron on Friday for Washington, D.C., then return for another tour of duty in the Gulf states.
Whether such volunteers will return to Akron next year is in doubt. The program will be cut under President Bush's proposed 2007 budget.
The team is part of the federal AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program, which is based on the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s.
``This is a difficult decision, given the popularity of the program with our participants and partners, particularly in disaster response,'' according to a statement by AmeriCorps Chief Executive David Eisner. ``However, the NCCC is costly compared to other AmeriCorps programs and was rated poorly in a recent federal management assessment.''
Community Action had hoped to keep the team a few weeks longer this year, but Hurricane Katrina shortened the team's scheduled stay in Akron.
The agency already has filed 960 returns this year with estimated refunds of nearly $2 million.
By March 5 of last year, the agency had done 536 returns and finished the tax season with 863 returns for $1.2 million in refunds.
Congress originally approved Earned Income Tax Credit in 1975, in part to offset the burden of Social Security taxes and to provide an incentive to work, according to the IRS.
When the credit is larger than the taxes owed, the government refunds the difference. The maximum refund possible this year is $4,400.
Eligible workers filing for the first time can also recover refunds from the previous three years.
Summit County residents filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit can make an appointment for free tax preparation by calling the 24-hour appointment line at 866-504-7400.
However, on Saturdays through April 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., walk-ins are welcome at 250 Opportunity Parkway.
Any Summit County resident, regardless of income, can receive the free tax preparation and filing, depending on how complicated the return is.
The EITC income thresholds include $11,750 for an individual, $31,030 for someone raising one child and $35,263 for someone raising more than one child.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Higgins can be reached at 330-996-3792 or 1-800-777-7232 or jhiggins@thebeaconjournal.com