Sponsored by The Piton Foundation and Colorado’s Community … · 2020. 1. 6. · resume also...
2
What is Tax Help Colorado? Tax Help Colorado is a program that uses colleges – primarily community colleges – to provide free income-tax return preparation to lower- and moderate-income working families in Colorado. In just its sixth year, the 16 colleges participating in the program assisted nearly 9,500 taxpayers at 26 sites to claim refunds of $18.5 million. Who is eligible for free tax-preparation services? The program is designed to help taxpayers whose house- hold income is less than about $50,000 a year. According to census figures, about 30% of Colorado families are eligible for the program. In particular, Tax Help Colorado targets lower-income working families who are eligible for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. For these families, who are strug- gling to make ends meet, paying a paid tax preparer $175 or more to have their tax return done is an added financial burden. How does the program work? Students at the participating colleges take an accredited course on income tax preparation in the fall semester (ACC 132). This course gives them IRS certification to do free income tax preparation. In the spring semester, students who have taken the income tax class operate a free tax preparation service at the college, for which they receive college credit (ACC 133). Trained volunteers from the community sometimes work at the tax sites too. The free tax sites typically operate from late January through the tax-filing deadline. Days and hours of operation vary from college to college. The program is modeled after the highly-successful Tax Help New Mexico program, which helps nearly 30,000 taxpayers each year through 50 free tax sites across New Mexico. Why use colleges to provide this service? The biggest problems that have faced organizations wanting to provide free tax-prep- aration are securing computer equipment for filing tax returns electronically and find- ing and training volunteers to prepare the tax returns. Colleges have computer labs with up-to-date equipment, they have students to be the volunteer tax preparers, and they offer classes that train people on preparing tax returns. Also, there are commu- nity colleges located across the state, including in more rural areas, which allows this free service to be available essentially statewide. In Colorado, there are 16 community colleges with about 30 campus locations that pretty much cover the state, as well as four-year colleges located in key areas of the state. Participating Colleges (by year joined) 2007 z Community College of Aurora 2008 z Aims Community College z Community College of Denver z Morgan Community College 2009 z Adams State College z Emily Griffith Technical College z Northeastern Junior College z Pueblo Community College 2010 z DeVry University z Otero Junior College z Trinidad State Junior College 2011 z Front Range Community College z Lamar Community College z Pikes Peak Community College 2012 z Arapahoe Community College z Southwest Colorado Community College New in Fall of 2013 z Red Rocks Community College z Fort Lewis College Sponsored by The Piton Foundation and Colorado’s Colleges Tax Year 2012 Accomplishments Free filing for 9,444 taxpayers z $18.5 million in refunds claimed
Transcript of Sponsored by The Piton Foundation and Colorado’s Community … · 2020. 1. 6. · resume also...
What is Tax Help Colorado?Tax Help Colorado is a program that uses colleges – primarily community colleges – to provide free income-tax return preparation to lower- and moderate-income working families in Colorado. In just its sixth year, the 16 colleges participating in the program assisted nearly 9,500 taxpayers at 26 sites to claim refunds of $18.5 million.
Who is eligible for free tax-preparation services?The program is designed to help taxpayers whose house-hold income is less than about $50,000 a year. According to census figures, about 30% of Colorado families are eligible for the program. In particular, Tax Help Colorado targets lower-income working families who are eligible for tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. For these families, who are strug-gling to make ends meet, paying a paid tax preparer $175 or more to have their tax return done is an added financial burden.
How does the program work?Students at the participating colleges take an accredited course on income tax preparation in the fall semester (ACC 132). This course gives them IRS certification to do free income tax preparation. In the spring semester, students who have taken the income tax class operate a free tax preparation service at the college, for which they receive college credit (ACC 133). Trained volunteers from the community sometimes work at the tax sites too. The free tax sites typically operate from late January through the tax-filing deadline. Days and hours of operation vary from college to college. The program is modeled after the highly-successful Tax Help New Mexico program, which helps nearly 30,000 taxpayers each year through 50 free tax sites across New Mexico.
Why use colleges to provide this service?The biggest problems that have faced organizations wanting to provide free tax-prep-aration are securing computer equipment for filing tax returns electronically and find-ing and training volunteers to prepare the tax returns. Colleges have computer labs with up-to-date equipment, they have students to be the volunteer tax preparers, and they offer classes that train people on preparing tax returns. Also, there are commu-nity colleges located across the state, including in more rural areas, which allows this free service to be available essentially statewide. In Colorado, there are 16 community colleges with about 30 campus locations that pretty much cover the state, as well as four-year colleges located in key areas of the state.
Sponsored by The Piton Foundation and Colorado’s Community CollegesParticipating Colleges (by year joined)
2007z Community College
of Aurora
2008z Aims Community Collegez Community College
of Denverz Morgan Community
College
2009z Adams State Collegez Emily Griffith
Technical Collegez Northeastern
Junior Collegez Pueblo Community
College
2010z DeVry Universityz Otero Junior Collegez Trinidad State
Junior College
2011z Front Range Community
Collegez Lamar Community
Collegez Pikes Peak Community
College
2012z Arapahoe Community
Collegez Southwest Colorado
Community College
New in Fall of 2013z Red Rocks Community
Collegez Fort Lewis College
Sponsored by The Piton Foundation and Colorado’s Colleges
Tax Year 2012Accomplishments
Free filing for 9,444 taxpayers
z
$18.5 million in refunds claimed
What are the benefits to the colleges and their students of providing this service?College students receive valuable real-world experience preparing tax returns. Having this experience on their resume also looks good to potential employers, as does having IRS tax law certification. Participating in the program also offers students exposure to careers in the accounting field and with the IRS. In addition, the program offers students a strong community service experience, which more and more colleges are requiring, and also looks good on a student’s resume. Colleges get the added benefit of bringing more people from the community onto their campuses, and in fact, colleges in New Mexico have reported increases in student enrollment, particularly in their accounting/business programs. The two courses that make up Tax Help Colorado also provide high school students with a good opportunity for concurrent enrollment.
Where is the program operating in Colorado?Tax Help Colorado was launched in 2007 at the Community College of Aurora, with CCA students taking the income tax class in the fall semester and operating a free tax site at the Lowry campus in the spring of 2008. Between 2008 and 2012, 15 more colleges joined the program, including two four-year colleges, and the number of Tax Help Colorado sites expanded to 26 in the 2012 tax season. More than 400 students, in addition to some community volunteers, are involved. The Piton Foundation, which spon- sors the program, has worked closely with the Colorado Community College System to build the program statewide.
The Piton Foundation, sponsors Tax Help Colo- rado as part of its efforts to help move fami-lies from poverty and dependence to self-sufficiency. Tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, have long been recognized as one of the greatest anti-poverty tools in America. Tax credits help working families by reducing the tax burden on low-wage workers and supplementing their income so that they can afford to pay for housing, food, health care and transportation. Economists estimate that money returned to local economies and the state from tax refunds is turned over two-to-three times, therefore greatly benefiting Colorado’s economy, as well as individual taxpayers.
For more information, contact Diane DiGiacomo at The Piton Foundation, 303-825-6246.
The College-Based Model of Free Tax-Return Preparation
ADAMS
ALAMOSA
ARAPAHOE
ARCHULETA
BACA
BENT
BOULDER
CHAFFEE
CHEYENNE
CONEJOSCOSTILLA
CROWLEY
CUSTER
DELTA
DOLORES
DOUGLAS
EAGLE
ELBERT
FREMONT
GARFIELD
GILPIN
GRAND
GUNNISON
HINSDALE
HUERFANO
JACKSON
JEFFERSON
KIOWA
KIT CARSONLAKE
LA PLATA
LARIMER
LAS ANIMAS
LINCOLN
LOGAN
MESA
MINERAL
MOFFAT
MONTEZUMA
MONTROSE
MORGAN
OTERO
OURAY
PARK
PHILLIPS
PITKIN
PROWERSPUEBLO
RIO BLANCO
RIO GRANDE
ROUTT
SAGUACHE
SANJUAN
SAN MIGUEL
SEDGWICK
SUMMIT
TELLER
WASHINGTON
WELD
YUMA
GREELEY
138
160
160
160
160
24
24
285
285
287
287
3434
34
350
36
36
385
385
385
40
40
40
50
50
50
50
550
66
666
84
85
160
25
25
70
70
70
76
Aguilar
Akron
Antonito
Arriba
Basalt
Blanca
Bonanza CityBoone
Branson
Breckenridge
Campo
Cedaredge
Center
Cheraw
Cheyenne Wells
Collbran
Crawford
Creede
Crested Butte
Crestone
Crook
Crowley
De Beque
Deer Trail
Dinosaur
Dolores
Dove Creek
Eads
Fleming
Granada
Grand Lake
Grand Valley
Grover
Haswell
Hayden
Ignacio
IliffKeota
Kim
Kit Carson
Kremmling
La Veta
Lake City
LarkspurLimon
Marble
Merino
Norwood
Nucla
Nunn
Oak Creek
Olathe
Ouray
Pagosa Springs
Palmer Lake
Paoli
Paonia
Peetz
Pitkin
Pritchett
Raymer
Rico
Ridgway
Rockvale
Rye
San Luis
Sawpit
Sheridan Lake
Silver Cliff
Silverton
Snowmass Village
Springfield
Starkville
Telluride
Two Buttes
Walden
Walsh
Wiley
Yampa
Dulce
Dixon
Sharon Springs
Big Springs
Aspen
Brush
Buena Vista
BurlingtonCarbondale Castle Rock
Delta
Fort Lupton
Fruita
Glenwood Springs
Holyoke
Las Animas
Leadville
Manitou Springs
Meeker
Monte Vista
Rangely
Rifle
Rocky Ford
Salida
Walsenburg
WrayYuma
Alamosa
Cimarron Hills
Clifton
Cortez
Craig
Gunnison
La Junta
Lamar
Montrose
Steamboat Springs
Trinidad
GrandJunction
Longmont
Southglenn
Brighton
Canon City
Durango
Security-Widefield
Sterling
AuroraLakewood
Pueblo
Arvada
Boulder
Fort CollinsGreeley
Westminster
Colorado Springs
Denver
Adams St. College (2009)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
CU Boulder (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
• Colorado Northwestern CC
• Colorado Northwestern CC
Front Range CC •
Pueblo CC•
• Western Colorado CC
Red Rocks CC •Colorado Mountain College •
Otero JC 2010)
Tax Help Colorado 2012/2013 Participating Colleges
(2009)
(2010)
Aims CC (2008)
(2008)
Lamar Community College (2010)
Adams StateCollege (2009)
Trinidad State Junior College (2010)
University of Coloradoat Boulder (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
(2009)
Otero JuniorCollege (2010)
(2009)
Aims Community College (2008)
(2008)
DeVry University (2010)
(2007)
Pikes Peak CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
LamarCC (2011)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
Southwest Colorado CC (2012)
Southwest Colorado CC• •
DeVry University (2011)
Arapahoe CC (2012)
Front Range CC (2012)
Emily Griffith Tech College (2009)
Tax Help Colorado 2013 Participating Colleges
ADAMS
ALAMOSA
ARAPAHOE
ARCHULETA
BACA
BENT
BOULDER
CHAFFEE
CHEYENNE
CONEJOSCOSTILLA
CROWLEY
CUSTER
DELTA
DOLORES
DOUGLAS
EAGLE
ELBERT
FREMONT
GARFIELD
GILPIN
GRAND
GUNNISON
HINSDALE
HUERFANO
JACKSON
JEFFERSON
KIOWA
KIT CARSONLAKE
LA PLATA
LARIMER
LAS ANIMAS
LINCOLN
LOGAN
MESA
MINERAL
MOFFAT
MONTEZUMA
MONTROSE
MORGAN
OTERO
OURAY
PARK
PHILLIPS
PITKIN
PROWERSPUEBLO
RIO BLANCO
RIO GRANDE
ROUTT
SAGUACHE
SANJUAN
SAN MIGUEL
SEDGWICK
SUMMIT
TELLER
WASHINGTON
WELD
YUMA
GREELEY
138
160
160
160
160
24
24
285
285
287
287
3434
34
350
36
36
385
385
385
40
40
40
50
50
50
50
550
66
666
84
85
160
25
25
70
70
70
76
Aguilar
Akron
Antonito
Arriba
Basalt
Blanca
Bonanza CityBoone
Branson
Breckenridge
Campo
Cedaredge
Center
Cheraw
Cheyenne Wells
Collbran
Crawford
Creede
Crested Butte
Crestone
Crook
Crowley
De Beque
Deer Trail
Dinosaur
Dolores
Dove Creek
Eads
Fleming
Granada
Grand Lake
Grand Valley
Grover
Haswell
Hayden
Ignacio
IliffKeota
Kim
Kit Carson
Kremmling
La Veta
Lake City
LarkspurLimon
Marble
Merino
Norwood
Nucla
Nunn
Oak Creek
Olathe
Ouray
Pagosa Springs
Palmer Lake
Paoli
Paonia
Peetz
Pitkin
Pritchett
Raymer
Rico
Ridgway
Rockvale
Rye
San Luis
Sawpit
Sheridan Lake
Silver Cliff
Silverton
Snowmass Village
Springfield
Starkville
Telluride
Two Buttes
Walden
Walsh
Wiley
Yampa
Dulce
Dixon
Sharon Springs
Big Springs
Aspen
Brush
Buena Vista
BurlingtonCarbondale Castle Rock
Delta
Fort Lupton
Fruita
Glenwood Springs
Holyoke
Las Animas
Leadville
Manitou Springs
Meeker
Monte Vista
Rangely
Rifle
Rocky Ford
Salida
Walsenburg
WrayYuma
Alamosa
Cimarron Hills
Clifton
Cortez
Craig
Gunnison
La Junta
Lamar
Montrose
Steamboat Springs
Trinidad
GrandJunction
Longmont
Southglenn
Brighton
Canon City
Durango
Security-Widefield
Sterling
AuroraLakewood
Pueblo
Arvada
Boulder
Fort CollinsGreeley
Westminster
Colorado Springs
Denver
Adams St. College (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
Otero JC 2010)
(2009)
(2010)
Aims CC (2008)
(2008)
DeVry University (2010)
Pikes Peak CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
LamarCC (2011)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
Southwest Colorado CC (2012)
DeVry University (2011)
Arapahoe CC (2012)
Front Range CC (2012)
Emily Griffith Tech College (2009)
Red Rocks CC (2013)
Front Range CC •
• Colorado Northwesteren CC
• Colorado Northwesteren CC
Colorado Mountain College •
• Western Colorado CC
Pueblo CC •
Front Range CC (2013)
Ft Lewis College (2013)
Morgan CC (2013)
Tax Help Colorado Participating Colleges
ADAMS
ALAMOSA
ARAPAHOE
ARCHULETA
BACA
BENT
BOULDER
CHAFFEE
CHEYENNE
CONEJOSCOSTILLA
CROWLEY
CUSTER
DELTA
DOLORES
DOUGLAS
EAGLE
ELBERT
FREMONT
GARFIELD
GILPIN
GRAND
GUNNISON
HINSDALE
HUERFANO
JACKSON
JEFFERSON
KIOWA
KIT CARSONLAKE
LA PLATA
LARIMER
LAS ANIMAS
LINCOLN
LOGAN
MESA
MINERAL
MOFFAT
MONTEZUMA
MONTROSE
MORGAN
OTERO
OURAY
PARK
PHILLIPS
PITKIN
PROWERSPUEBLO
RIO BLANCO
RIO GRANDE
ROUTT
SAGUACHE
SANJUAN
SAN MIGUEL
SEDGWICK
SUMMIT
TELLER
WASHINGTON
WELD
YUMA
GREELEY
138
160
160
160
160
24
24
285
285
287
287
3434
34
350
36
36
385
385
385
40
40
40
50
50
50
50
550
66
666
84
85
160
25
25
70
70
70
76
Aguilar
Akron
Antonito
Arriba
Basalt
Blanca
Bonanza CityBoone
Branson
Breckenridge
Campo
Cedaredge
Center
Cheraw
Cheyenne Wells
Collbran
Crawford
Creede
Crested Butte
Crestone
Crook
Crowley
De Beque
Deer Trail
Dinosaur
Dolores
Dove Creek
Eads
Fleming
Granada
Grand Lake
Grand Valley
Grover
Haswell
Hayden
Ignacio
IliffKeota
Kim
Kit Carson
Kremmling
La Veta
Lake City
LarkspurLimon
Marble
Merino
Norwood
Nucla
Nunn
Oak Creek
Olathe
Ouray
Pagosa Springs
Palmer Lake
Paoli
Paonia
Peetz
Pitkin
Pritchett
Raymer
Rico
Ridgway
Rockvale
Rye
San Luis
Sawpit
Sheridan Lake
Silver Cliff
Silverton
Snowmass Village
Springfield
Starkville
Telluride
Two Buttes
Walden
Walsh
Wiley
Yampa
Dulce
Dixon
Sharon Springs
Big Springs
Aspen
Brush
Buena Vista
BurlingtonCarbondale Castle Rock
Delta
Fort Lupton
Fruita
Glenwood Springs
Holyoke
Las Animas
Leadville
Manitou Springs
Meeker
Monte Vista
Rangely
Rifle
Rocky Ford
Salida
Walsenburg
WrayYuma
Alamosa
Cimarron Hills
Clifton
Cortez
Craig
Gunnison
La Junta
Lamar
Montrose
Steamboat Springs
Trinidad
GrandJunction
Longmont
Southglenn
Brighton
Canon City
Durango
Security-Widefield
Sterling
AuroraLakewood
Pueblo
Arvada
Boulder
Fort CollinsGreeley
Westminster
Colorado Springs
Denver
Adams St. College (2009)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
CU Boulder (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
• Colorado Northwestern CC
• Colorado Northwestern CC
Front Range CC •
Pueblo CC•
• Western Colorado CC
Red Rocks CC •Colorado Mountain College •
Otero JC 2010)
Tax Help Colorado 2012/2013 Participating Colleges
(2009)
(2010)
Aims CC (2008)
(2008)
Lamar Community College (2010)
Adams StateCollege (2009)
Trinidad State Junior College (2010)
University of Coloradoat Boulder (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
(2009)
Otero JuniorCollege (2010)
(2009)
Aims Community College (2008)
(2008)
DeVry University (2010)
(2007)
Pikes Peak CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
LamarCC (2011)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
Southwest Colorado CC (2012)
Southwest Colorado CC• •
DeVry University (2011)
Arapahoe CC (2012)
Front Range CC (2012)
Emily Griffith Tech College (2009)
Tax Help Colorado 2013 Participating Colleges
ADAMS
ALAMOSA
ARAPAHOE
ARCHULETA
BACA
BENT
BOULDER
CHAFFEE
CHEYENNE
CONEJOSCOSTILLA
CROWLEY
CUSTER
DELTA
DOLORES
DOUGLAS
EAGLE
ELBERT
FREMONT
GARFIELD
GILPIN
GRAND
GUNNISON
HINSDALE
HUERFANO
JACKSON
JEFFERSON
KIOWA
KIT CARSONLAKE
LA PLATA
LARIMER
LAS ANIMAS
LINCOLN
LOGAN
MESA
MINERAL
MOFFAT
MONTEZUMA
MONTROSE
MORGAN
OTERO
OURAY
PARK
PHILLIPS
PITKIN
PROWERSPUEBLO
RIO BLANCO
RIO GRANDE
ROUTT
SAGUACHE
SANJUAN
SAN MIGUEL
SEDGWICK
SUMMIT
TELLER
WASHINGTON
WELD
YUMA
GREELEY
138
160
160
160
160
24
24
285
285
287
287
3434
34
350
36
36
385
385
385
40
40
40
50
50
50
50
550
66
666
84
85
160
25
25
70
70
70
76
Aguilar
Akron
Antonito
Arriba
Basalt
Blanca
Bonanza CityBoone
Branson
Breckenridge
Campo
Cedaredge
Center
Cheraw
Cheyenne Wells
Collbran
Crawford
Creede
Crested Butte
Crestone
Crook
Crowley
De Beque
Deer Trail
Dinosaur
Dolores
Dove Creek
Eads
Fleming
Granada
Grand Lake
Grand Valley
Grover
Haswell
Hayden
Ignacio
IliffKeota
Kim
Kit Carson
Kremmling
La Veta
Lake City
LarkspurLimon
Marble
Merino
Norwood
Nucla
Nunn
Oak Creek
Olathe
Ouray
Pagosa Springs
Palmer Lake
Paoli
Paonia
Peetz
Pitkin
Pritchett
Raymer
Rico
Ridgway
Rockvale
Rye
San Luis
Sawpit
Sheridan Lake
Silver Cliff
Silverton
Snowmass Village
Springfield
Starkville
Telluride
Two Buttes
Walden
Walsh
Wiley
Yampa
Dulce
Dixon
Sharon Springs
Big Springs
Aspen
Brush
Buena Vista
BurlingtonCarbondale Castle Rock
Delta
Fort Lupton
Fruita
Glenwood Springs
Holyoke
Las Animas
Leadville
Manitou Springs
Meeker
Monte Vista
Rangely
Rifle
Rocky Ford
Salida
Walsenburg
WrayYuma
Alamosa
Cimarron Hills
Clifton
Cortez
Craig
Gunnison
La Junta
Lamar
Montrose
Steamboat Springs
Trinidad
GrandJunction
Longmont
Southglenn
Brighton
Canon City
Durango
Security-Widefield
Sterling
AuroraLakewood
Pueblo
Arvada
Boulder
Fort CollinsGreeley
Westminster
Colorado Springs
Denver
Adams St. College (2009)
(2009)
(2007)
(2010)
(2008)
Otero JC 2010)
(2009)
(2010)
Aims CC (2008)
(2008)
DeVry University (2010)
Pikes Peak CC (2011)
Front Range CC (2011)
LamarCC (2011)
Trinidad State JC (2010)
Trinidad St. JC (2010)
Southwest Colorado CC (2012)
DeVry University (2011)
Arapahoe CC (2012)
Front Range CC (2012)
Emily Griffith Tech College (2009)
Red Rocks CC (2013)
Front Range CC •
• Colorado Northwesteren CC
• Colorado Northwesteren CC
Colorado Mountain College •
• Western Colorado CC
Pueblo CC •
Front Range CC (2013)
Ft Lewis College (2013)
Morgan CC (2013)
