Transcript Myfreetaxes.com and Beehive Tax Campaign

Facilitating Self-Prepared
Income Taxes
MyFreeTaxes.com
2012 Campaign
www.one-economy.com
One Economy
One Economy Corporation is a global nonprofit organization that
uses innovative approaches to deliver the power of technology and
information to low-income people, giving them valuable tools for
building better lives.
Our mission is to maximize the potential of technology to help
people improve their lives and enter the economic mainstream.
Creating New Partnerships for Facilitated
Tax Preparation
IRS
CBO
Delivery
Clients
Resources
Software
Provider
Empowering Communities
• One Economy’s free tax software guides
users through the often complicated
process of understanding and filing their
taxes in accessible, easy-to-understand
language.
• The Beehive’s Tax Tool empowers people
to take control of their finances and
achieve self-sufficiency.
Millions
Results Oriented Growth
$40
30,000
$35
25,000
$30
20,000
$25
$20
15,000
$15
10,000
$10
5,000
$5
$Total Refunds
Returns Completed
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
$5,064,421
$9,514,804
$12,696,398
$31,724,992
$34,564,494
3,463
7,229
8,580
19,554
23,873
-
One Economy Offers
The Beehive’s Tax Tool is a scalable and sustainable system for the
self-preparation of income taxes.
• National VITA referral source
• Bi-lingual educational material
to explain low-income credits
• Free Federal and State Tax
Preparation and E-Filing
< $57,000
• Techniques to lessen the
frustration of self-preparation
• Ability to track user data for all
tax returns in aggregate
One Economy Offers
•
820,000 visitors have learned about taxes and how to find a
local VITA site
•
> 64,000 clients from 50 states or on military deployment
have prepared and e-filed free federal and state returns
•
>$93 million in refunds returned
using the Beehive Tax Tool
•
39% of filers qualify for the
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Who Qualifies?
Qualified clients receive free
federal and multi-state
preparation and e-filing
Individual clients must have:
•
Valid email address
•
Valid SSN or ITIN
•
Adjusted Gross Income
<$57,000
•
No Foreign Income
Reporting in 2012
• Traffic reports weekly on accounts created and
filed.
• Specific URL accounts allow for aggregated
demographic and financial reports end of
season.
• SIDN-recording for IRS Facilitated Self Tax Prep
participation
EITC by Text Message
•Ideal for Client use
•Compete with Holiday Loan Marketing!
Smartphone
Applications
• Ideal for field work and
volunteers
•Uses images and graphics
to estimate eligibility
•Spanish and English
•>9,000 downloads in 2011
The Myfreetaxes.com Campaign
- Empowers low and middleincome individuals
- Connects these filers to free
income tax preparation
- Ensures that low and
middle-income families
maximize the tax credits and
deductions they are entitled
to receive
Self-Preparation
Technology Platform
•Online
•Who owns it?
•Who protects it?
•Who manages it?
•Who provides training?
Self-Preparation
Target Population
•Single filers
•W-2 income only
•Computer-aware
•Middle school reading
comprehension
What We Look for in a Site
An ideal site…
• is easy to find (off main road, in busy shopping center, etc.)
• is easy to access and accessible
• has plenty of parking
• is large enough to easily accommodate 10 laptops, filers and
any volunteers present
•Restrooms
•Internet!
Set-up
• On the following slide is the layout of an ideal tax lab set-up.
• This set-up can be modified depending on the space and the
number of computers you have available.
• Please note that the set-up is designed to try and make
clients feel their privacy is being respected. However, above
all, make the set-up as feasible and client-friendly as possible.
TYPICAL TRAINING ROOM SET UP 10 Computers
E=extension cord
O= driver computer
PS=power strip
SB=sandwich board
SI= sign invtable
X=laptop
= power cord
C = chair
SI
SB
E
PS
X
X
X
X
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
X
X
X
X
X
X
C
entrance
E
PS
SB
Facilitating Self-Prepared
Income Taxes
Lee Davenport
[email protected]
202-558-3801
www.one-economy.com