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Go Direct Volunteer Tax Prep Program

Financial Institutions

Expand your customer base and create goodwill

Each year, hundreds of unbanked and underbanked people living near your bank or credit union have their taxes prepared at free volunteer-run tax sites. These sites offer you an excellent opportunity to open new accounts while showing your goodwill in the community. Tax sites are often seeking financial institutions to set up an information table, answer basic taxpayer financial questions and open low- or no-cost accounts. Go Direct, a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Banks, provides an easy way for you to get involved.

Solid business reasons for your participation

Consider how face-to-face interaction with low-income and elderly community residents during tax season can benefit your organization:

• Open free or low-cost checking or savings accounts for unbanked or underbanked community members.
• Sign up new and existing account holders for direct deposit of their tax refund and Social Security or other federal benefits, reducing lobby traffic and saving costs.
• Increase your organization’s visibility and goodwill in low-income communities.
• Provide an opportunity for branch managers and community relations officers to show your organization’s leadership and community commitment by building relationships with both taxpayers and other coalition leaders.
• Increase taxpayer awareness of your other financial products available to them.

What does volunteer tax prep have to do with Go Direct?

The Internal Revenue Service oversees a national network of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) coalitions composed of banks, credit unions, government agencies and non-profit organizations. These coalitions organize and provide free tax preparation sites for low-income and elderly taxpayers. There are more than 300 coalitions with thousands of tax preparation sites around the country. In addition to filing tax returns and helping taxpayers claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), coalitions offer an array of financial literacy and asset-building services. Go Direct is one of these.

The IRS supports Go Direct messaging at free tax sites to help low-income taxpayers start direct depositing their monthly federal benefit check. Each year, millions of people turn to volunteer-run sites for help in preparing their taxes. Many of the taxpayers who qualify to use free tax preparation services also receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments by check.

Tax site volunteers are ideally placed to reach taxpayers with the message that direct deposit is a safer and easier payment choice. Since taxpayers already have their financial documents on hand, volunteers can help them sign up for direct deposit (and maybe open an account) onsite.

Coalitions are looking for new partners right now. Here are some ways you can take part:

• Sponsor a free tax site, possibly in coordination with a local nonprofit organization. Promote the site, especially during Go Direct Days (the first few days of the month when most people get their federal benefits).
  • Display Go Direct and tax prep posters, brochures and other materials in the lobbies of nearby branches.
  • Place an insert in monthly statements.
• Recruit and train staff members to volunteer at area sites.
• Staff a table at a tax site. Offer incentives for taxpayers who sign up for direct deposit.
• Host or participate in financial literacy workshops during tax season.
• Super Saturdays and other tax season promotional events are high-traffic times — your organization can do any of the above, or be a Go Direct spokesperson and answer taxpayer questions.

The coalition and IRS representative in your city may also have specific ideas about how you can best participate.

For more information, or to be matched with an IRS territory manager and coalition in your area, contact your campaign representative or call the Go Direct partner line at 952-346-6055.