The 2009 tax season has started out a bit different than the ’08 season did. I got engaged over the summer, so much of my free time is spent with wedding planning stuff. Because of that, I got kind of a late start with getting certified this year. There was a lot of information that I had forgotten, so I needed to refresh some of my tax knowledge. A big shout out to my fellow UW volunteer, Jack, for keeping me motivated on studying. I think we helped each other pass the test. We didn’t cheat—don’t worry. It was more like group study.
I finally got certified by the end of January and decided to do my first day on Feb. 13th—showin people some love by doin taxes. I now live very close to Madisonville Community Center, so I knew I would be going there again. I kind of have a soft spot for this location now.
A new and great improvement this year from the 2008 tax program is electronic scheduling. Whoever thought of doing this for the EITC program is a genius. It is so much easier to plan when and where to volunteer. As soon I got certified, I scheduled every day I want to volunteer this year. I made a goal of volunteering 4 days this year, every other Saturday in February and March. That is more than what I did last year, but still allows me time to do wedding planning.
The tax site had closed the previous week due to the weather, so I knew there was going to be a lot of people waiting to get their taxes done today. When I got there, people were waiting outside because the Community Center employee was still getting things set up. I only had to wait for 5 minutes, but some people had been waiting out in the cold for a little while. The earlier you get there, the sooner you get done.
The employee let me inside because I was a volunteer, but when I went to the computer room, there was nobody there. This shocked me because the site coordinators are always there early to set up. I was worried that this session might have gotten cancelled and I didn't know (nor did all the people outside). Or, if they were running late, it would take us that much longer to get through everyone. The employee began setting up chairs for people to come in and sit down.
I was really worried we were gonna have to turn people away, but 5 minutes later, Barb*, the new site coordinator, came in. She had gotten stuck outside. I had worked with Barb last year as a volunteer, so I knew who she was very experienced. It was nice to see a familiar face.
John*, another volunteer, also came in and we all got everything set up quickly. The patrons came in and started filling out the necessary paperwork to get them started. There were not as many people as I remembered from last year, and not as many as I was expecting. But there were still enough to keep us all busy. Another employee of the Community Center came in and set up the computers for us. Mary*, another volunteer, came in as well. There were 4 of us so far, which was a good number. Mary was a returning volunteer and John was new. We also had another new volunteer, Kim*, come in a little later.
I had a different perspective this year. John and Kim had little to no volunteer experience so far, so they had to rely on Mary, Barb and me to help them. It was kind of cool to return the favor from when I was helped a lot on my first day volunteering. Like I said before, the volunteers all work together to make sure we are doing everything right and making sure we help as many people as possible. Every return is double and triple checked before it gets filed.
Most of the returns I had this day were pretty simple. Everything came back to me quickly and easily. Like I said--learning to ride a bike. I only had one person with real estate taxes and mortgage interest. The hardest return I had was a person who lived in Ohio, but worked in Kentucky. So I had to figure out how to put several local taxes on a single W-2. I was actually very proud of myself for completing this one—I learned something new this day.
Most people who I helped were single filers, no kids, with straightforward income and deductions. Something I was kind of shocked about was the number of people filing unemployment compensation—definitely a lot more last year. I think I only had 1 married couple. Of course, we had more than that being helped by the other volunteers. Mr. & Mrs. Wilson* returned from when I helped them in 2008—yeah!! They were helped by another volunteer, but I was glad to see them again. I don’t think they remembered me, though...
Since most of the returns were fairly simple, I was able to get through them pretty quickly. The time it takes to actually fill out the return is not very long. It actually takes longer to interview and review the return than it does to fill it out. When doing a return we have to make sure we go through an interview before anything is started on the computer. Patrons absolutely have to have an I.D. and their Social Security cards for themselves, and their spouses and dependants if they have any, before we do anything. We tell them before they even fill out the paperwork to have all their documentation or else we can not do the return. I have had to send some people home to get their stuff before—they don’t like to hear that, but it’s to protect them.
The Community Center told us we had to finish everyone by 3 p.m. We are supposed to close at 2 p.m., but I learned quickly that doesn’t ever happen. Usually we just do everyone, even though it takes us over the time limit. I mean we don’t want to turn people away who have been sitting there all day to get their taxes done. We were pushing it to the max this day in order to get all the people filed. We did end up having to tell some people to come back the next time because they had really complicated returns and we didn’t have enough time to get through them on this day.
The most memorable patron I helped this day was George*. Most of the people we help have low income. George was no exception, but his was probably one of the lowest I had filed. However, he was the happiest person I have probably ever helped (at least he seemed that way). He was very talkative the whole time I was doing his return—very friendly personality. He moved here from another state and was in the construction business, but was having a hard time finding a steady job. He worked part time at fast food restaurant and went down to Job and Family Services to find employment every chance he got. He was trying to get on the construction crew to build the new train rail from Cincinnati to Cleveland that is apparently starting up in a year or so. I must live in a box because I don’t remember hearing anything about this before George told me. That is why he became my favorite patron of the day.
I volunteer again this weekend. Look for my blog about it next week!
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
Monday, February 22, 2010
It’s like learning to ride a bike.
When I was asked to blog about my experience doing taxes for UWGC’s EITC tax program, my first thought was “me? blog? this should be interesting…”. I’ve never really blogged about anything before. I’ve tried to blog before and it never really intrigued me. Maybe I’ve just never really been much of a writer or maybe I’ve never really had much to write about.
However, I was glad I was given this opportunity because I really do want to share my experiences about doing taxes for people. Mainly because it’s been a very interesting experience (and I’m sure will continue to be so) and also I want to show that anyone can really do this. You don’t have to be a “numbers person”, you just have to be willing to take some time to learn and to stick with it because the more you do it, the easier it will become (as with anything I guess).
You may wonder why I would choose to do taxes in the first place. Well I have to admit; I started doing this mainly for myself. I wanted to learn more about taxes. I’ve always been a seeker of knowledge and I wanted to better understand how to do my own taxes and I figured this will be good way to start. I also love to help people and work with people, so that was also a big motivating factor.
I’ve always been big on volunteerism. I started volunteering when I was in high school, mostly with my church, but that mentality stuck with me. I participated in a few Crosstown Helpouts in college and I really loved doing that, so I knew when I would have more time to help others, I would make sure I did that.
Doing taxes for people is unique. It’s not just simply fixing up a building (which is great and also much needed), but it’s still just as instantaneously gratifying. You can give someone immediate results—you fill out the tax form, the software program calculates everything, and—BAM—you’re done! You can tell the person immediately how much they can expect to get back (or how much they may owe, which was very rare) and see their reaction. It’s different than some volunteering programs (such as tutoring) where you have to track changes over a long period time to see results. That’s probably the best thing about doing taxes.
My very first day doing taxes was very intimidating. My first choice of sites didn’t have as much need for volunteers (but it was the closest to my house, which is why I chose it first), so I decided to try one that would need me more help and I would have a better chance of making my time worthwhile. I went to Madisonville Community Center. This was probably the second closest to my house, that I had a vague idea of its location. I had never been to this community center, so when I walked in (carrying my back of books and resource materials), I told the front desk person I was here for the tax program. He immediately told me to write my name on a list that already had about 30 names filled in. I told him I was a volunteer and was here to do taxes, he pointed me towards the room where they were set up and said I could go right in. I walked down the hallway that was lined with about 30 people sitting on both sides, all staring at me as I walked past them. It was 15 minutes until the site opened and there were already this many people waiting. They were all here to get their taxes done by me and other volunteers. I felt extremely insignificant and not important enough for these people to sit and wait all day just for one of us to help them. I also now felt very responsible. I was going to make sure I could do everything I can so these people will get the return they deserve—and they truly did deserve it.
For all the praise I got when I told people I was doing taxes (which I don’t really deserve), the site coordinators deserve an infinitely more amount of praise. Without the site coordinators, there would be no tax program. The volunteers can only do what the coordinators have set up for them to do. Each day that I volunteered for the 2008 tax season (I admit I only volunteer 2 days, each time was at Madisonville), Melissa*, the site coordinator, was there early to set up all the materials, computers, get the patrons ready by having them fill out prep paper work, get the volunteers set up, and brought food for us (which was very much needed and appreciated).
Melissa really helped me get orientated to this environment and she was always helping me when I had a question about something. She was being pulled in a hundred different directions, but made sure the patrons were the top priority and made sure we were able to help everyone that came. The other volunteers were also extremely helpful to me. I don’t think I would have gotten through that first day without them. We relied on each other and helped each other when we had questions or needed a return checked. We are each other’s support.
It’s kind of an odd experience doing someone’s taxes. They are giving some of their most personal information to you and trusting you with that. Whenever I did someone’s taxes, it felt weird because they would be watching me the whole time (which they should). I felt like I was under a microscope, with someone watching over my shoulder the whole time, just waiting for me to mess up and prove me a phony. I didn’t want to tell people it was my first year doing taxes, because then they would worry that I wouldn’t know what to do and I didn’t want them to feel like their trip there was a wasted effort.
Though I did pass the certification tests and knew how to do a basic return, there was still some learning curve to doing taxes. I only knew about tax forms I was familiar with, which was basically just W-2’s. I have never owned a house and I’m not retired, so I had to learn the different types of income and expense forms. It’s different from reading about something in a book and seeing it in real life. The hardest thing about learning how to do taxes is not what all is involved in completing a return; it’s where to enter it in the tax software. The computer can calculate everything for you and kind of “dummy-proof” it somewhat, but I still needed to know the exact line to actually enter real estate taxes, for example. I think it took me 1 ½ to 2 hours for me to complete each return on that first day (it now takes me about half that time).
Although the thrill of learning is what originally interested me in doing taxes, the people are what kept me doing it. The people that came in to get their taxes done truly touched my heart, and made me grateful that I was a small part in making them happier. I don’t remember everyone I helped last year, but a few did stick out in my mind. One couple I remember was Mr. & Mrs. Wilson*. They were probably the third or fourth return that I did. He was retired and she was still working. They were very sweet and had the most trusting faces. They had a bit of an age gap between them and when I saw Mr. Wilson’s birth date, I was taken off guard. Not because I thought he was really old (which he was about the same age as my grandma), but I just thought about all the things he would have went through and witnessed in his lifetime. This was an African-American man born during the Great Depression. He lived through WW2, Civil Rights era (was alive during Martin Luther King Jr.’s life) and the Vietnam War. He lived most of his life before I was even conceived. All the things that I read about in history books—this person has lived through them and experienced them in a different way than what my parents and grandparents would have. And I know there are a lot of people still living that have gone through these things as well, but just seeing it there on paper and having him sit there right next to me kind of awed me. Yet they were probably some of the most patient and kind people that I had helped through my entire tax experience.
The second time I did taxes last year, which was a couple of weeks later, Mrs. Wilson came back with her grandson so he could get his taxes done, too. He was a junior or senior in high school and it was his first year filing taxes, with the W-2 from his first job. I thought it was really awesome for family generations to connect in that way and I thought it was very respectable that Mrs. Wilson would help her grandson begin to do things for himself. I connected with him because I remembered when I filed my first tax return with the W-2 from my first job, as well.
Another person that stuck out in my mind was a single mom, whose name I can not remember. She qualified for the Earned Income Credit and was able to get back about 2 ½ months worth of income back from her taxes. I was glad she was able to get that much back because she seemed like a hard working person just trying to take care of herself and her kids.
I just think it’s pretty awesome that someone can get a check from the Federal Government worth over two months of income. That, right there, makes all my efforts worthwhile. Even though I was only able to volunteer 2 days last year, I knew I wanted to do taxes again in 2009. Look for more entries on each day that I volunteer this year.
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
However, I was glad I was given this opportunity because I really do want to share my experiences about doing taxes for people. Mainly because it’s been a very interesting experience (and I’m sure will continue to be so) and also I want to show that anyone can really do this. You don’t have to be a “numbers person”, you just have to be willing to take some time to learn and to stick with it because the more you do it, the easier it will become (as with anything I guess).
You may wonder why I would choose to do taxes in the first place. Well I have to admit; I started doing this mainly for myself. I wanted to learn more about taxes. I’ve always been a seeker of knowledge and I wanted to better understand how to do my own taxes and I figured this will be good way to start. I also love to help people and work with people, so that was also a big motivating factor.
I’ve always been big on volunteerism. I started volunteering when I was in high school, mostly with my church, but that mentality stuck with me. I participated in a few Crosstown Helpouts in college and I really loved doing that, so I knew when I would have more time to help others, I would make sure I did that.
Doing taxes for people is unique. It’s not just simply fixing up a building (which is great and also much needed), but it’s still just as instantaneously gratifying. You can give someone immediate results—you fill out the tax form, the software program calculates everything, and—BAM—you’re done! You can tell the person immediately how much they can expect to get back (or how much they may owe, which was very rare) and see their reaction. It’s different than some volunteering programs (such as tutoring) where you have to track changes over a long period time to see results. That’s probably the best thing about doing taxes.
My very first day doing taxes was very intimidating. My first choice of sites didn’t have as much need for volunteers (but it was the closest to my house, which is why I chose it first), so I decided to try one that would need me more help and I would have a better chance of making my time worthwhile. I went to Madisonville Community Center. This was probably the second closest to my house, that I had a vague idea of its location. I had never been to this community center, so when I walked in (carrying my back of books and resource materials), I told the front desk person I was here for the tax program. He immediately told me to write my name on a list that already had about 30 names filled in. I told him I was a volunteer and was here to do taxes, he pointed me towards the room where they were set up and said I could go right in. I walked down the hallway that was lined with about 30 people sitting on both sides, all staring at me as I walked past them. It was 15 minutes until the site opened and there were already this many people waiting. They were all here to get their taxes done by me and other volunteers. I felt extremely insignificant and not important enough for these people to sit and wait all day just for one of us to help them. I also now felt very responsible. I was going to make sure I could do everything I can so these people will get the return they deserve—and they truly did deserve it.
For all the praise I got when I told people I was doing taxes (which I don’t really deserve), the site coordinators deserve an infinitely more amount of praise. Without the site coordinators, there would be no tax program. The volunteers can only do what the coordinators have set up for them to do. Each day that I volunteered for the 2008 tax season (I admit I only volunteer 2 days, each time was at Madisonville), Melissa*, the site coordinator, was there early to set up all the materials, computers, get the patrons ready by having them fill out prep paper work, get the volunteers set up, and brought food for us (which was very much needed and appreciated).
Melissa really helped me get orientated to this environment and she was always helping me when I had a question about something. She was being pulled in a hundred different directions, but made sure the patrons were the top priority and made sure we were able to help everyone that came. The other volunteers were also extremely helpful to me. I don’t think I would have gotten through that first day without them. We relied on each other and helped each other when we had questions or needed a return checked. We are each other’s support.
It’s kind of an odd experience doing someone’s taxes. They are giving some of their most personal information to you and trusting you with that. Whenever I did someone’s taxes, it felt weird because they would be watching me the whole time (which they should). I felt like I was under a microscope, with someone watching over my shoulder the whole time, just waiting for me to mess up and prove me a phony. I didn’t want to tell people it was my first year doing taxes, because then they would worry that I wouldn’t know what to do and I didn’t want them to feel like their trip there was a wasted effort.
Though I did pass the certification tests and knew how to do a basic return, there was still some learning curve to doing taxes. I only knew about tax forms I was familiar with, which was basically just W-2’s. I have never owned a house and I’m not retired, so I had to learn the different types of income and expense forms. It’s different from reading about something in a book and seeing it in real life. The hardest thing about learning how to do taxes is not what all is involved in completing a return; it’s where to enter it in the tax software. The computer can calculate everything for you and kind of “dummy-proof” it somewhat, but I still needed to know the exact line to actually enter real estate taxes, for example. I think it took me 1 ½ to 2 hours for me to complete each return on that first day (it now takes me about half that time).
Although the thrill of learning is what originally interested me in doing taxes, the people are what kept me doing it. The people that came in to get their taxes done truly touched my heart, and made me grateful that I was a small part in making them happier. I don’t remember everyone I helped last year, but a few did stick out in my mind. One couple I remember was Mr. & Mrs. Wilson*. They were probably the third or fourth return that I did. He was retired and she was still working. They were very sweet and had the most trusting faces. They had a bit of an age gap between them and when I saw Mr. Wilson’s birth date, I was taken off guard. Not because I thought he was really old (which he was about the same age as my grandma), but I just thought about all the things he would have went through and witnessed in his lifetime. This was an African-American man born during the Great Depression. He lived through WW2, Civil Rights era (was alive during Martin Luther King Jr.’s life) and the Vietnam War. He lived most of his life before I was even conceived. All the things that I read about in history books—this person has lived through them and experienced them in a different way than what my parents and grandparents would have. And I know there are a lot of people still living that have gone through these things as well, but just seeing it there on paper and having him sit there right next to me kind of awed me. Yet they were probably some of the most patient and kind people that I had helped through my entire tax experience.
The second time I did taxes last year, which was a couple of weeks later, Mrs. Wilson came back with her grandson so he could get his taxes done, too. He was a junior or senior in high school and it was his first year filing taxes, with the W-2 from his first job. I thought it was really awesome for family generations to connect in that way and I thought it was very respectable that Mrs. Wilson would help her grandson begin to do things for himself. I connected with him because I remembered when I filed my first tax return with the W-2 from my first job, as well.
Another person that stuck out in my mind was a single mom, whose name I can not remember. She qualified for the Earned Income Credit and was able to get back about 2 ½ months worth of income back from her taxes. I was glad she was able to get that much back because she seemed like a hard working person just trying to take care of herself and her kids.
I just think it’s pretty awesome that someone can get a check from the Federal Government worth over two months of income. That, right there, makes all my efforts worthwhile. Even though I was only able to volunteer 2 days last year, I knew I wanted to do taxes again in 2009. Look for more entries on each day that I volunteer this year.
*Names have been changed to protect identity.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Long Lasting Change
We're growing by leaps and bounds on Reading Road.
Check out this video to see the latest in our construction efforts, and the massive transformation expected at United Way!
Check out this video to see the latest in our construction efforts, and the massive transformation expected at United Way!
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