According to Dr. Michael Sherraden, Director of the
Center for Social Development at Washington University, “VITA tax preparation
sites are an invaluable resource. Low-income tax filers at VITA sites get
honest service that is in their best interest. This quality tax service enables
families to put a portion of refunds aside as savings, making their lives more
stable."
And today, National Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day, we kicked off the 2013 tax season with speakers, information and, of course, tax preparation. Several clients made appointments to meet with our specially trained volunteers to file their income taxes.
Our volunteers are trained to look for tax credits to ensure that tax payers get all their money back. Who doesn't want a bigger refund? Well, just that little girl on the annoying commercial! But it sticks with you, doesn't it!
The Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit keep families from sinking into poverty each year. And that is just about the biggest goal we have here at Springfield Partners. We also encourage tax filers to save some of their refund. We suggest that they enroll in our Financial Literacy workshops to learn how to better manage their money and we go even further by telling them about our matched savings accounts. Save to buy a home, pay for college, or start a small business. Save now while there are a few extra dollars.
But, back to the celebration at Springfield Partners today. We invited speakers from all over - and they showed up because they are all very aware of the importance of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites and just how much families can get back with EITC. They also know that more than $13 billion (you read that right. Billion!) in EITC goes unclaimed each year.
With that said, we thank Margaret Boyle from Congressman
Richard Neal’s office; Jeremiah
Thompson, Regional Director for Senator Elizabeth Warren; Mary Ann
Higgins from the Administration for Children and Families; Dora Robinson from
the United Way of Pioneer Valley; Gerald Bell from the Department of Housing
and Community Development; Joe Diamond, Executive Director at the Massachusetts
Community Action Association; and Steve Huntley, Executive Director at Valley
Opportunity Council.
We also are grateful to representatives from the IRS, Elms College, Alliance to Develop Power, Fallon Community Health Plan, Hampden County Sherrif's Department, and Mass Housing for attending and for partnering with us to help promote EITC and VITA.
