Community Based

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Community Based Coalitions
Internal Revenue Service Community Based
Partnerships Elvin Davis, IRS, SPEC (Stakeholders
Partnerships, Education, and Communication), St.
Louis, MO
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AssetBuilding
Awareness and Education
Community- Based Coalitions
Tax Preparation
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What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?

• a federal tax benefit to help low and moderate
  income workers increase their financial
  stability.
• Reduces taxes for workers
• Supplements wages
• Makes work more attractive than welfare
• Fully refundable credit

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Why call for EITC outreach?

• Limited education, language, and financial
  abilities
• Many taxpayers qualifying for EITC do not claim
  it
• Partners are uniquely qualified to reach their
  customers

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What does EITC do for working families?

• Provides a maximum credit of up to 4,716 for
  working families
• Provides more than 21 million working families
  with average EITC refund of 2,057

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Why think locally about EITC?

• EITC remains the single largest federal aid
  program for working families.
• EITC provides more to working families than
  other federal programs

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EITC Savings Assets
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What is the Child Tax Credit?

• 1,000 for each qualifying child
• Partially refundable
• Some working families can receive BOTH the Child
  Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit in
  the same year.

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Volunteer Income Tax Sites
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Wide range of opportunities

• Recruit volunteers to serve at assistance sites
• Train volunteers to prepare simple tax returns
• Manage return preparation site in your
  neighborhood

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Community-based coalitions

• Community organizations with common interests or
  a shared commitment of helping working families
• Coordinate existing activities of multiple
  organizations

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Assets

• Provide greater household stability
• Increase community/civic involvement
• Increase the wealth of neighboring communities
• Enhance well-being of next generation

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EITC can be a gateway to self-sufficiency

• Coalitions
• Use EITC as gateway to affordable, accessible
  financial services
• Help obtain bank accounts
• Provide financial literacy training
• Provide tools and opportunities to assist
  families in buying a home

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Linking the pieces

• Awareness reach eligible families that
  currently dont claim the Credit
• Free Tax Prep preserve the value of the Credit
• Asset building introduce financial literacy
  into the picture

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Why is IRS interested in community-based
coalitions?

• Ensure taxpayers have the correct tax
  liabilityincluding credits
• Generate a stronger outreach in communities
• Shared mission with many local and national
  organizations

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Next Steps

• Check out partnering opportunities on irs.gov
  (keyword Partner)
• Contact IRS at partner_at_irs.gov for partnering
  opportunities in your community
• Contact your local Community Coalition

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Questions????

• St. Louis Community Coalition
• Gateway EITC Community Coalition
• Robert Gaffner, Executive Director
• Telephone [phone]
• E-mail robertgaffner_at_sbcglobal.net
• Web Site gecc.us