The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is one of of the most vital (pun intended) services that our club provides. This year, we offered in-person tax preparation at the United Way building on Platt Road. Scan-And-Go was offered at UWWC, Manchester Community Resource Center and at the University Michigan Housing Bureau for Seniors on State St.
At these locations, 63 volunteers—including 12 Rotary Club members—prepared 884 returns (787 in-person clinic, 97 MyFreeTaxes). Total federal and state refunds totalled $ 1,574,447 (up over 14 % from last year), and our services helped taxpayers avoid $194,480 in tax preparation fees.
Challenges
We faced a number of challenges this year.
- We hired a full time Site Coordinator on January 10, and the hire quit on February 12. This jeopardized our entire VITA tax operation. One of our Rotary volunteers, Kate Van Horn, volunteered and was hired for the position in late February. This played a significant role in a successful tax season.
- This was the first year of the United Way of Washtenaw County being folded into the United Way of Southeast Michigan United Way (UWSEM). While this resulted in operational complications, overall the support received from UWSEM was strong.
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We filed a large number of returns for prior years as many taxpayers just did not file during the Covid years.
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More volunteers were engaged as a concerted effort was made to recruit prior year volunteers lost, and 6 new volunteers were recruited from our Rotary Club.
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We filed a large number of returns for “gig” economy workers (Uber, Lyft, Door Dash, special services, etc.). The challenge with these returns is that clients often have no or poor records. This requires added time and expertise to properly complete these returns.
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An increasing number of clients had been issued Identify Theft Protection Pins but did not have the PIN number with them at filing. This results in an e file failure as the PIN number is a a required entry for e file. It is time consuming to retrieve the PIN from the IRS.
- There were significant Michigan tax rules changes. For example, the supplement to the Earned Income Tax Credit went up from 6% of the federal amount to 30%, the maximum Homestead Property Tax Credit went from $ 1600 to $ 1700, and the income tax rate was reduced from 4.25 % to 4.05 % (it goes back to 4.25 % in 2024).
A sample return
One of the returns we filed was for a single mother of 3, age 37, and a home owner. Her three children—ages 11, 13 an 17—lived with her for all of of 2023, and she provided all of their support and all of the cost of the household. She filed as head of household, and her income was from wages and unemployment compensation. Her W2 showed an income of $30,827, and her unemployment compensation on a 1099-G form was $6,154.
Thanks!
Thanks to the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor for its financial support of $2,250, and to the following volunteers:
- Fred Beutler
- Ben Bolen
- Dennis Burke
- Karen Gladney
- Larry Gray
- Ed Johnson
- Eric Macke
- Tom Millard
- Robert Mull
- Kate VanHorn
- Dave Williams
- Rob Shiff
