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Volunteers Assist with Tax Preparation and Financial Literacy

To a family living near the poverty level, $4,536.00 is a huge, perhaps life-changing amount. Columbus Councilmember Charleta Tavares and former Council President Matthew Habash joined forces with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to launch an Earned Income Tax Assistance (EITC) community awareness campaign to get as much of that money into the hands of the more than 19,000 central Ohio families who otherwise may have left it on the table.

Two years ago, at the invitation of OSU Extension, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site was established in the University District at Godman Guild, located at 303 E. Sixth Street, to help qualifying families prepare and file their taxes free of charge. Forty undergraduate Accounting students from OSU's Fisher College of Business, under the direction of Professor William Raabe, volunteered their time during winter quarter and made sure the families applied for the EITC, which in 2006 can be as much as $4,536.00.

In 2005, 31 of the 61 families helped receive an average of $1,356.00. The following year, 196 clients were served and combined with the Child Tax Credit, received refunds of $419,000.00. Because of that success, in 2007, OSU Extension opened up a second site at OSU's African / African-American Studies Community Extension Center, at 905 Mt. Vernon Avenue, after receiving an OSU CARES / OSU Extension seed grant*.  OSU's Moritz College of Law students, under the leadership of law student Stephen Sparks, and faculty, students and staff from various OSU departments staffed this site. Both sites served 337 clients, yielding in excess of $592,653.00 in EITC / CTC refunds!

These two sites have served as a model for other sites and their policies, procedures and practices are being replicated throughout the city, county and state. In collaboration with other partners, OSU Extension offers related educational programs throughout the year including Money Management, Home Ownership, Small Business Development, Education and Individual Development Accounts (IDA). Susan Colbert, OSU Extension Educator, said, "It's not just a one-time deal where you come during tax season and get your taxes done, but in this initiative we work with people year-round, and when we see VITA participants in our workshops it demonstrates that our efforts aren't in vain and that we're truly making a difference in the lives of families."

Because of what the OSU faculty, students, and staff have done, in collaboration with City Council, at these two VITA sites, Franklin County Commissioners and the State Treasurer Richard Cordray's office have joined forces and now will promote the EITC community awareness campaign throughout the county and state of Ohio. Additionally, Dr. Ken Martin and Susan Colbert will be attending the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals Conference in Philadelphia, PA, where they'll meet and share their experience and research with other Extension professionals throughout the country.

The City of Columbus Council acknowledged and recognized The Ohio State University and its faculty, students and staff for their commitment and contributions to the EITCS campaign during a recognition ceremony held during their Council meeting on Monday, April 2, 2007.

*OSU CARES / OSU Extension seed grants are one of several grant programs that support outreach and engagement at Ohio State. For more information, see http://outreachgrants.osu.edu .

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Created: 2008-04-11, Updated: 2008-04-30