04/19/23 NJ Integrated Training - 2009 Tax Season 1

Expense Statements and Activity Reporting

Gary BlauthNJ Administration Specialist

Module NJ 2.8

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Counselor Flat Rate Form

Prepared by National Office mid-March Sent directly to Local Coordinators Volunteers sign/date if accept flat rate

($35) Only allowable change is address No additions, no deletions – just don’t sign

LC signs/dates, returns by early April Payment made promptly after April 15

Itemized expenses Counselors, EROs, Client Facilitators, Shift Coordinators

F = Flat rate $35OR T = Itemized for training NEW I = Itemized for counseling

I & T – Transportation only

Mileage – round trip, activity and location, each date listed separately. $0.55 for 2009; $0.50 for 2010

Keep a detailed log if you plan to itemize Parking and tolls – receipts required

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Activity Codes for leaders Leaders

C = Leadership Flat rate $50

OR

T = Itemized for training I = Itemized for counseling Various other codes – see expense form

SPECIAL RULES

Any "I" Expense Statement that exceeds $400 for the entire season will be rejected Exceptions for special circumstances must be pre-

approved by the District Coordinator and the State Coordinator

A copy of the pre-Approval by the SC must be attached to the Volunteer's Expense Statement when submitted for payment

SC must approve the expense statement

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E-file supplies

S = e-file supplies over $25 per item require evidence of pre-approval by

Gary Broughton except as noted below.

Pre-approval is not required for copy paper or printer cartridges (provided cartridges are not included in specific list for which AARP has purchase agreement).

Receipts required

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Other supplies

Z = Supplies Normal office supplies Does not include equipment – staplers, staple

removers, pencil sharpeners, etc. Receipts required

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Submission Timing

“I” expenses only reimbursed from 15 April to 30 June. Applies to leaders too!

Counselor training from 1 October and tax assistance from January to 20 April

Leaders can submit statements anytime. Quarterly strongly recommended.

Submit statements on/before 30 September – end of AARP fiscal year.

RECEIPTS

Itemized receipt required for all expenses except mileage

Receipts ($75 & over) must be taped to blank sheet of paper (8-1/2 x 11)

All other receipts (under $75) can be sent loose, paper-clipped or stapled to the expense report, or taped to a separate sheet of paper

Credit card charge slip is generally not acceptable

Where to find forms

TaxAide extranet: www.aarp.org/tavolunteers Forms tab

Expense statement Paper form – word or pdf Leader – Excel Non-leader – Excel

Direct deposit forms

Training aids

TaxAide extranet: www.aarp.org/tavolunteers Training tab “Volunteer Expense Statement Training

Presentation” Narrated presentation for non-leaders

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Activity Reporting

OverviewSite Sign-In Sheet

Web Based ProcessAccuracy Issues

Gary Blauth, NJ ADS

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What is Activity Reporting and Why is it Important? WHAT: A collection of numerical data generated

at the site level detailing the services volunteers deliver to AARP Tax-Aide clients

WHY: The information is used to: Manage program activities Assess and measure services provided Develop forecasts and volumes Determine Volunteer and equipment allocations Support funding activities

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Overview

Site Sign-In Sheet is filled out NJ recording process has been improved

this year

Site Sign-in Sheets are collected and tabulated by the LC

Monthly totals are submitted on-line by the LC, approved by the DC

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Monthly Totals are Submitted

3 Reporting Periods during tax season Monthly: Ending the last calendar day in February,

March, April Counts submitted and approved no later than the 5th

of the following month: March 5, 2010 April 5, 2010 May 5, 2010

4th Reporting Period to cover the summer Submitted by the ADS directly into VMIS Final opportunity to correct any mis-counting

submissions

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How to Submit counts into the Web-enabled system

Collect Site Sign-In Sheets Tabulate totals Log onto the internet Go to the volunteer extranet at

www.aarp.org/tavolunteers

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Submit Activity Reports Here

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00000000

OR

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Accuracy Issues - 1

Examples of under-reportingAARP returns IRS returns

199 42968 38846 256

Are volunteers using the sign-in sheets? Are LCs collecting and reporting the data?

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Accuracy Issues – 2

Examples of over-reportingAARP returns IRS

2,116 1,535524 392375 197

Are Federal returns being counted twice? Are correct SIDNs on the returns?

Paper returns must use overprinted 1040

Training aids

TaxAide extranet: www.aarp.org/tavolunteers Training tab

“Activity Reporting Reference Sheet” Manuals, Policy & Procedure tab

“Activity Reporting Phase 2 Brainshark” Narrated presentation