Three-Pronged Approach |
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Awareness and Education
We are dedicated to educating individual taxpayers about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax benefits for which they may qualify. Partnerships that we form with community organizations use mass communication methods to reach people, marketing various tax assistance initiatives in local communities. Together we spread the word to families, employees, neighborhoods, and so on about tax credits as well as tax law. We believe it’s critical to encourage more people to be compliant, and help them meet their obligations more fully and easily.
Tax Preparation
Volunteers make a world of difference to our partnering efforts. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites are an integral part of the coalitions being formed today. Community partners recruit and train volunteers who then do tax returns free for people who cannot do their own returns and cannot afford a paid preparer. Partners host VITA sites in locations that are easily accessible to and trusted by the community, thus attracting an audience of taxpayers—many of whom are eligible for EITC—by offering free tax preparation.
Financial Literacy
We know that education is important to the process of personal asset accumulation. We encourage financial institutions to lend their expertise in this arena. Our community coalitions include hundreds of banks, credit unions, and other financial organizations that offer financial literacy training to low-income taxpayers as a first step toward asset accumulation. Families are encouraged to use a portion of their tax refunds to begin saving.
A valuable tool in helping people keep active savings accounts can be Individual Development Account (IDA) programs. IDAs are matched savings accounts that reward the monthly savings of low-income families who are saving toward a long term asset like a home, post-secondary education or a small business. Matching funds from public or private organizations provide the incentive to save. People who have their tax returns prepared at VITA sites are excellent candidates for IDAs. Many of our coalitions include organizations that combine VITA service with financial literacy programs and IDAs for better service in their local communities..
The possibilities of partnering are endless and the effects are boundless. The power of coalitions is a driving force nationwide. If the mission of your organization coincides with that of IRS, why not consider becoming a partner?
To discuss partnering opportunities, send an email to partner@irs.gov , and let us know how we can help you get started.
We will help you get started, so please take a minute to peruse our Partner Products and Volunteer Resource Center for products, web sites, and other materials that may be helpful in your partnership with IRS.
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Page Last Reviewed or Updated: November 20, 2008