Free Tax Prep-Give Back More Than Tax Refunds

Human Service Programs of Carroll County, Inc. embarks on its 5th year as an IRS sponsored tax preparation site. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, provides free tax prep by IRS trained and certified individuals to people who earn up to $52,000. This service is invaluable for low to moderate income households who depend on their tax returns each year. Nationally, VITA sites are responsible for lifting many families out of poverty through federal safety-net programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, EITC, and the Child Tax Credit, CTC. In 2011 the EITC and the CTC moved 9.4 million people out of poverty.

HSP’s VITA site is tremendously grateful to PNC bank for the support and partnership that truly fuels this program. PNC provides a free debit card to VITA clients’ with their refunds—where other commercial tax companies would supply the debit card with high fees attached. The effort PNC makes is not just during the tax season; they provide educational classes and fair banking resources for families living in poverty in the hopes of triggering long term financial planning.  HSP’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Bob Miller explained, “The education part and the part with PNC—the wonderful partnership we’ve developed—is really essential to the community.” The continuing education even after tax season is a vital instrument in the fight for community economic stability. The VITA site also sells savings bonds to families, and in previous years has received the award for the number one seller of savings bonds in Maryland. The award is given by Maryland CASH Campaign; a state wide platform that provides precious funding and technical support to HSP’s VITA site.

Five years ago the VITA site was instituted at HSP and prepared 134 returns. In 2013, 451 taxes were prepared, returning over $950,000 back to our community. One individual has participated in VITA since the second year of its running. Ella Wiswakarma, a Carroll County resident, remembers watching her dad do taxes when she was a kid and saw the challenges involved. Later, she moved abroad and never had to file taxes for herself, leaving her return to the United States in 2008 a test of strengths. While her and husband struggled to find employment, they relied heavily on their savings and the county resources available to them. In 2010, with little to no income they came to HSP for assistance with their taxes. Not only were they given the free tax return, but they also got an understanding of what it all meant.

VITA volunteers provided an explanation of the money returned, as well as offered courses, budgeting, and savings bonds—which they bought for their kids. Ella and her husband now work for the Carroll County String Project, a non-profit program that provides music lessons for all ages. This work allows them to give back to the community that assisted them through challenging times. Ella also happily shared with us she is the new financial and administrative director at the String Project, a task she is able to complete thanks to the knowledge she gained through VITA. Ella explained, “It was encouraging and not humiliating to ask for this help” and has noticed the improvement each year has brought her family. As Ella concluded her story she shared, “The biggest part to the Human Services is the ‘human’- the humanity.” Working with HSP’s VITA she and her family are able to feel a calmness that tax season is not commonly known for.  

The VITA program ultimately opens the door to fair and accessible financial resource for our community. The dedicated partners and volunteers of this program are crucial in HSP accomplishing this year’s goal of completing 600 returns and giving over one million dollars back to the Carroll County residents.

-Shannon Smith