Financial Training & Taxes

The ShopAmerica Gift Card: How Government Can Stretch Your Tax Refund Check

Most people’s purchasing power (and hence standard of living) could be raised noticeably, at no expense, through a novel idea called the ShopAmerica Gift Card.

Instead of a social security/tax refund/unemployment/government pension check direct-deposited, why not exchange it for gift cards worth up to 25 percent more than the check? Example: If you want a new

2020-10-28T15:40:59-05:00

A Comparison of Free and For Pay Tax Preparation Programs At Two Credit Unions

About The Authors

John Hoffmire, PhD

John Hoffmire is the director of the Center on Business and Poverty at the University of Wisconsin School of Business and faculty associate at the Puelicher Center for Banking Education at UW-Madison. Before starting the Center on Business and Poverty in 2004, John had a 20-year career in equity investing, venture

2020-10-28T15:42:39-05:00

How to maximise workplace benefits – FT.com

When payslips are opened towards the end of this month, most workers will probably look first for their net pay figure in hope of a new year rise. They may be better served, however, by giving more thought to the non-cash benefits employers commonly offer, some of which come with large tax advantages.

Source: How to maximise

2017-01-21T13:59:43-06:00

Savers’ Credit Program (SCP) review

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

2020-10-29T14:09:38-05:00

The Economics of Serving Low-Income Employees at Tax Time: Implications ​for Credit Unions

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
Printed in U.S.A.

Filene Research Institute

Progress is the constant replacing of the best there is with something still better!— Edward

2020-10-29T14:22:39-05:00

UW Credit Union Tax Season Help

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

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

Tax Preparation Help Available in Marathon County

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

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

Volunteer Tax Preparers Enjoy Helping People

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

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

Volunteers Efforts Result in Over $1,000,000

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

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

Tax Program Progress for the Year 2012

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

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

Former Progress Through Business Employee Continues Free Tax Work in Colorado

Paul Hammeke, former Project Manager for Progress Through Business and developer of the Madison-area tax program, is utilizing the skills and strategies he acquired during his tenure at Progress to continue helping low- and moderate-income communities through Tax Help Colorado.

Tax Help Colorado is a partnership formed between The Piton Foundation and the Colorado Community College

2017-01-21T13:59:49-06:00

VITA Program 2013

May 2013

The Progress Through Business affiliated UW Credit Union VITA program results are in for 2013 and they demonstrate the actual value of the VITA program with $875,730 in tax refunds to 537 tax filers. That is almost a ten percent increase in the number of returns and over 2.5% more in refund dollars compared

2017-01-21T14:00:18-06:00
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