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~ ` OBIECTIVES WORI{PI.AN FOR PROGRAMII. FORIMPACT/OUTCOME BASED ACTIVITIF~ ,
<br />A licant'Or anization: Oran a Coun Retired and Senior Volunteer Pro ram
<br />Period Covered: starting:! 07-01-2003 Endin : 06-3o-zo ~
<br />Part 1. ('ommunity Need to be Addressed•
<br />A need exists in Orange County, North Carolina, to provide &~ income tax prepaiapodfilmg assistance to low to middle income
<br />taxpayers. The failure to file tax returns sets the stage for problems with the IRS and results in a loss of approximately 5416,000
<br />in federal tsx refunds and $204,000 in earned income areait (Etc), to Orange County taxpayers moat in need of financial assts-
<br />ranee. (source: Orange County VITA statistics). Also, residents taking advantage of the VITA program.save an average of $107
<br />each charged for commer>rial filing, an additional.benefitrotaling approximately $90,000. Several reasons have been attributed to
<br />residents not Sling their taxes including the inability to understand the tax forms, the inability to pay for incotsre~tsx preparation
<br />assistance and the inability to travel due to age and/or physical handicaps. The estimated 1997 population of Orange County,.
<br />North Carolina was 107,253. Orango County incomo stadstics for 1996: Per Capita Income - $25,597; Median Household In-
<br />come - 541,169; Average Household hicome - 554,763. (Source: NC Office of State Planning 1997). Over the past three years, a
<br />yearly average of 900 O.C:: low to middle income residents have requested free assistance with income tax preparation. The
<br />Orange County Volunteer Income Tax Asaistancb (VITA) program will volunteers will serve 1,0011 low to middle ineorne real-
<br />dents. The program is designed to increase the number of low to middle income, non-English speaking, disabled an8 elderly
<br />residents comply with IRS regulations by filing their taxes so they may receive any tax refunds owed to them, and avoid penalties
<br />from the IRS.
<br />NSSC 3-Digit Code(s) Applicable:
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />otal Number of Senior Corps volunteers contributing to
<br />meetin the need•
<br />g s~ 5i
<br />07-12/03: 7 vols. served 100 hr ~ ' "~ _ S~ .rt9'
<br />01-06/04: -45 vols. served 2200 _ :'
<br />•
<br />
<br />
<br />Total Number of Volunteer Stations: _1_
<br />Part 2:.Action Plan Tasks and Timeline
<br />PROJECT PLANNING •
<br />PROJECT REPORTING
<br />Column A Pian Tas and Activities Col. B-Date Column C: Actual Performance Col. D-Date .
<br />Planned Service Activity:,: RSVP/VTTA volunteers will provide free incorr~ tax preps- 07/03- Actual Service Act[vity: RSVP/V1TA volunteers provided free income tax prepar~-
<br />ration/filing to residents meeting pre-established income criteria. The VITA program 06/04 tion/filing to residents meeting pre-established income criteria. The VITA program was
<br />e County: IJNC Hospital; Chapel Hill Senior Center; Hillsbor-
<br />in Oran
<br />it
<br />d
<br />t 5
<br />ff
<br />will be offered at 7 sites -around Orange County: iINC Hospital; Chapel Hill Senior
<br />Center; Hillsborough Senior Center; Carrboro Town Hall; Orange Enterprises, Club g
<br />ere
<br />a
<br />s
<br />es
<br />o
<br />ough Senior Center; Carrboro Town Hall; Orange Bnterpriaes. Sites were open on specific
<br />`r
<br />Nova and Chatham County Council on Aging. Sites are open on specific days and hours
<br />il 151h (a
<br />-
<br />h A
<br />i" th
<br />F
<br />b
<br />ffii
<br />r through
<br />days and hours for operation during the normal tax-51ing season -February 1
<br />7hours/week). Atter April 15a, the VITA services were provided on
<br />ril 15a (approx
<br />A
<br />p
<br />roug
<br />pr
<br />ruary
<br />n~ season -
<br />e
<br />mal tax-
<br />for operation during the no
<br />prox. 32-36 hours/wcek). Afler Apri115 , •the VITA services'will be provided ar an as .
<br />p
<br />an as needed basis.. VITA services were also be provided in health care facilities and the
<br />needed basis. VITA services will also be provided in health taro facilities and the homes home's of disabled and/or elderly residents unable to travel to a VITA site. VITA is also
<br />of disabled and/or elderly residents unable to travel to a VITA site. VITA is also offered offered to non-English speaking taxpayers.
<br />to non-En ' h 'n ec. 07/1999
<br />Planned Inputs: July IRSVP/VTTA volunteers will begin planning for 2003-04 (in-
<br />ti
<br />/h
<br />i
<br />l
<br />i
<br />07/03-
<br />Actual Inputs: RSVP/V1TA volunteers began planning for 2001-03 (includes estab-
<br />securing service locations/hours, computer rnainte-
<br />training volunteers
<br />schedul
<br />fishin
<br />s
<br />ours,
<br />oca
<br />ons
<br />ng serv
<br />ce
<br />cludes establishing schedules, training volunteers, secur
<br />computer maintenance etb). VITA volunteers.will receive 48-hours of training including 06/04 ,
<br />e
<br />g
<br />,
<br />Hance etc). VITA volunteers received. hours of paining including computerized prepa-
<br />computerized preparation of tax returns. RSVP will secure and maintain 37 free comput-
<br />will spend a total of 200 hours er week
<br />Cumulatively
<br />ers ration of tax returns. RSVP secured and maintained _ free computers. Cumulatively, _
<br />RSVP/VTTA valunteera spent a total of hours per week for _ weeks for'a.,total of
<br />,
<br />.
<br />.for 10 wceks for a total of preparing tax returns for
<br />be $100
<br />i
<br />d
<br />i
<br />i
<br />i _;~iburs preparing tax returns for _ low to middle income residents tax season...The
<br />is estimated to bo $100 per traince and is donated by the IRS and
<br />t of the IRS trainin
<br />co
<br />per
<br />mate
<br />to
<br />ng
<br />s est
<br />n
<br />tax season.' The cost of the IRS• tra
<br />trainee and is donated by the IRS and State Division of Taxation. The cost of staff sup- g
<br />,
<br />s
<br />Stag Division of Taxation. The cost of staff support, computer maintenance, and office
<br />computer maintenance, and office supplies is estimated to be $3,200 and is donated
<br />port supplies is estimated to be 53,200 and is donated by the OC Ciovemment. The volunteer
<br />,
<br />by the OC Oovemmenk The volunteer support costs including travel, reimbursement, support costs including travel, reimbursement, insurance and recognition are estimated to
<br />insurance and recognition are estimated to be $19.17 per volunteer or a total of $862.65
<br />d fl
<br />di
<br />l be 519.17 per volunteer or a total of 5862.65 for the total amiual cost of the program.
<br />is sent to all media sources and flyers are produced (English/Spanish) and dis-
<br />Publici
<br />yers
<br />a sources an
<br />me
<br />for the total annual cost of the program. Publicity is aent.to al
<br />are produced (English/Spanish) and distributed in locations targeting our client base. ty
<br />tributed in locations targeting our client base. Non-Ehgliah speaking clients are asked to
<br />Non-Bn lisps akin clients are asked fA brim rote ters
<br />Anticipated Accomplshmenta: 1,000 low to middle tax payers will receive free tax lnyrr in retets • ' '
<br />Actual Accomplishments: low to middle tax payers received freo tax prepara-
<br />preparation/filing assistauce from a RSVPNTTA volunteer: If them were not a VITA
<br />; another agency would have to provide these services, during
<br />prognun in Orange County
<br />07/01- tion/filing assistance from.a RSVP/VTTA volunteer. If there were not a VITA program in
<br />Orange County, another agency would have to provide these services, during a time when
<br />,
<br />a time when IRS offibes~are downsizing, at a coat of 515.39 per hour (528,600). Addi-
<br />d
<br />f
<br />i
<br />a •„
<br />06/03 IRS offices are downsizing, at a cost.of $15.39 per hour (S_~• Additionallj+, some
<br />might not receive a tax refund or pay taxes owed, and
<br />ht'riof'flle a tax return
<br />residents mi
<br />or pay
<br />ve
<br />tax re
<br />un
<br />tionally, some residents might not fllo a tax return, might not rece ,
<br />g
<br />taxes owed and would be out of co fiance with the IRS.
<br />Lnpact: Orange County low to middle income taxpayers will have the
<br />Anticipated
<br />- would be out of c trance with the IRS.
<br />Actuat.l[mpact: Orange County low to middlo income taxpayers will have the option of
<br />.
<br />option of gsing,free tax preparatiodfllmg assistance. 'Thu 1000 residents served by, rho
<br />d
<br />lti
<br />i
<br />id
<br />e
<br />d
<br />ill
<br />'
<br />' using frce tax preparatiodfiling assistance. The residents served by the VITA
<br />ram received any tax rebates they are due and avoided penalties imposed by the IRS
<br />ro
<br />mpose
<br />na
<br />es
<br />avo
<br />p
<br />w
<br />,any tax reBates they are due an
<br />VITA program will receive
<br />for not filing taxes. The number of Orange County residents not filing a tax
<br />by the IRS 07/01-
<br />
<br />06/03 g
<br />P
<br />for not filing taxes.. The number of Orange County residents not filing a tax return due to
<br />i w
<br />•n. .
<br />'
<br />_
<br />return due to.costr disability, or language barrier will be reduced, u'reported by service ents on a
<br />dust, disability, or language barrier was reduced,.as reported by service recip
<br />recipients on a Host-servicesurvey. oat=service curve . -
<br />
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