VITA 2021-2022 Season UpdateNick Miller and Patrick Cornelius

• David Reyes – Community Impact Director, VITA Services

• Nick Miller – Community Investment Associate

• Patrick Cornelius – Community Investment Associate

• Micah Lee-Morris – AmeriCorps Member

Meet our Team

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• CAUW is partnering with UWWC and is responsible for overall administration of VITA program

• Shared support between our two communities of volunteers

• Joined by new staff member, Patrick Cornelius, who was an AmeriCorps member with UWWC last year

• Focused specifically on Washtenaw County

Changes to Services – CAUW

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• Most clients served through Scan n’ Go Method

• Fully virtual option available

• Accessible to both clients and partners

• Potential for return to full service

• Heavily dependent on COVID/Site restrictions

Changes to Services –Delivery

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• Scheduling Appointments

• Most clients will be directed to schedule an appointment beginning Monday, January 17th

• Scheduling platform changing to Riverstar, access for partners TBD

• Virtual Appointments will be subjected to capacity limits, but no appointment is necessary

Changes to Services – Appt.’s

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• Sites offering services

• United Way of Washtenaw County

• Manchester Community Resource Center

• Ypsilanti District Library – Superior Branch

• Michigan Works! Southeast – Washtenaw (Tenative)

• Aid in Milan (Tentative)

Changes to Services – Sites

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• Limited mailings

• Mass mailed info sheet to historical clients

• Full-year service

• Tentative, but relatively likely

Changes to Services – Other

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Questions?

• Modest increase to standard deduction

• Removal of unemployment exemption

• Expansion of Premium Tax Credit

• Expansion of CTC, EITC, CDCC

(Relevant) Changes to Tax Law

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• Child Tax Credit: Credit available for families claiming dependent children

• No minimum earned income requirement (Previously $2,500)

• Maximum refundable credit of $3,000 (ages 6-17) or $3600 (under 6)

• Previously $2,000, $600 of which was nonrefundable

• Credit was cutoff for dependents older than 16

• Families were eligible to receive this as a monthly payment

Changes to the Credits – CTC

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• Earned Income Tax Credit: Credit available for working low-to-

moderate income individuals and adults

• Max credit for childless adults raised to $1500 (up from $542)

• Income limit raised to $21,920 (previously $15,980)

• Anyone older than 18 eligible (previous range was 25-64 without

children)

Changes to the Credits – EITC

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• Child and Dependent Care Credit: Available to families paying for care services for children or other dependents

• Maximum credit increased to $4,000/child (up from $1,050), up to two children

• **Refundable (previously non-refundable)

Changes to the Credits –CDCC

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Questions?

• Aiming for 1,000 returns prepared minimum

• Two years of disruptions means many historical clients need to file

• 3-Year Statute of Limitations on claiming refunds

• Expansion of credits means more families need to file

• Volunteers needed to expand capacity

Volunteer Opportunities

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• Get Your Refund Access Partners* (1-2 Hours of training)

• Scan n’ Go Intake Specialists (3-5 Hours of training)

• Tax Preparers (15-20 Hours of training)

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Volunteer Opportunities

• Fully virtual training (varying hours, listed on prev. slide)

• Launching November 15th

• Fully virtual volunteer options during season available

• New pods model

Changes to Volunteering

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Questions?