Introduction and definition of a key term:
Filene Research Institute (Filene) has engaged and worked with Progress Through Business (Progress) on several very successful projects. It was thought that, with our experience with tax preparation and financial education programs, a plan of action could be developed jointly to serve those eligible for the Savers’ Credit1. Since
John Hoffmire, PhD Director of the Center on Business and Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin School of Business, Chairman, Progress Through Business
Thomas Harms, Director, Progress Through Business
Copyright © 2009 by Filene Research Institute. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-932795-58-5
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Progress is the constant replacing of the best there is with something still better!— Edward
The New Year is here and of course that means it’s time to be concerned about paying income tax. And once again help is being offered in Madison, Wisconsin to low and moderate-income workers.
Stephanie Thompson, a former Vista volunteer with Progress Through Business is coordinating our free tax help program in Madison in her new
Another tax preparation site started with major support from Progress Through Business is run by UW-Marathon County in Wausau, is facilitated by the AmeriCorps VISTA program and falls under the umbrella of the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service. This program fits into the mandate of both the UW Colleges and UW-Extension.
UWMC VITA programs
Volunteers in Madison, Wisconsin helped complete more than 490 federal income tax returns this season. Sixty-two volunteers working under the aegis of the UW Credit Union offered the free help in eight locations around the city.
Evan Smith, a junior accounting major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was one of the trained volunteers. A native of
Volunteer efforts to help low-and middle-income workers complete federal and state income tax forms resulted in refunds of over $1,000,000 in Wisconsin and Arizona for the tax year 2011.
At Arizona Central Credit Union the help offered for 27 returns resulted in $36,509 in federal refunds and $7532 in state refunds.
At St. John’s Hospital, help with
COMPLETING FREE TAX FORMS FOR LOW INCOME EMPLOYEES – completing over 900 low-income employees’ tax forms for free. For example, the $8/hour employees we helped, our research shows, received a benefit worth a 3% raise as our tax preparers found advantages and credits that employees would have missed.
The 900 tax forms completed this year showed
We find the opinion section in newspapers and online publications a valuable forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas. For those of you interested in joining the conversation, but unsure how to get started, we would like to lay out a few observations and guidelines that we have gleaned from experience
