Go Direct An AssetBuilding Strategy for Volunteer Tax Preparation Sites Program Guide

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Go DirectAn Asset-Building Strategy
forVolunteer Tax Preparation SitesProgram
Guide
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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• What is Go Direct?
• Go Direct is a national campaign, sponsored by
  the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the
  Federal Reserve Banks, to motivate people who
  receive Social Security, Supplemental Security
  Income (SSI) and other federal benefit payments
  by check to switch to direct deposit.
• The campaign reaches out to people through
  organizations and people they know and trust to
  inform them about the advantages of direct
  deposit, and help them sign up for it. Direct
  deposit is the best way to receive federal
  benefit payments because its safer, easier and
  provides more control over ones money.

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Why is Go Direct important?
• About 12 million people still receive their
  federal benefit payment by check each month
  they tend to be lower income and less educated
  seniors, and people with disabilities.
• Direct deposit helps protect seniors and others
  from identity theft and fraud.
• Direct deposit helps people gain control over
  their money, so theres no worry about whether
  the mail will find them. Money can be accessed
  from virtually anywhere.
• It costs 80 cents more to issue a paper check
  than a direct deposit payment thats money that
  could otherwise remain in the Social Security
  Trust Fund.

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Go Direct and Volunteer Tax Preparation
• The Internal Revenue Service supports Go Direct
  as part of its commitment to asset-building.
• Many taxpayers at VITA and TCE sites receive
  Social Security or SSI checks.
• Direct deposit is a positive step for taxpayers
  on their way to financial literacy, and also
  helps protect them against identity theft and
  fraud.
• Last season, over 1,200 VITA and TCE sites
  participated with Go Direct.

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Easy to implement
• Your main focus during tax season is to help
  taxpayers file a quality return and claim their
  earned income or other tax credits. Helping them
  make wise financial decisions through financial
  literacy and safety education is important too.
• Go Direct understands your priorities and has
  created this program with your needs in mind.

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Go Direct offers
• An easy way for your sites to achieve
  asset-building goals
• Volunteer training
• Activities that will not take time away from tax
  preparation
• Free materials
• Help with recruitment of financial institutions
  through our partner network
• Help with publicity for Super Saturday or other
  kick-off events

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Add Go Direct to your tax site(s)
• Train volunteers
• Order materials for display and distribution
• Gain publicity for your site(s)
• Implement Go Direct programming at your site(s)

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Train volunteers on the basics of Go Direct
• Tax preparers and other site volunteers are a
  trusted source of financial information. Educate
  them about direct deposit with a short Volunteer
  Guide (available online in the tool kit)
• Guide contents include
• Brief overview of Go Direct and its objectives
• How to talk with taxpayers about direct deposit
• Enrollment options

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Display and distribute Go Direct materials
• Go Direct offers free marketing materials that
  outline the benefits
• of direct deposit and how taxpayers can sign up.
• How to order Go Direct materials
• Visit the special Partners section at
  www.GoDirect.org to access the Volunteer Tax Prep
  tool kit.
• Preview available materials, including flyers,
  posters, table display cards, video, pens and
  buttons.
• Download the materials order form and fill in
  requested quantities based on the provided
  guidelines.
• Fax or email your completed form to Go Direct.
  Your materials will arrive within two weeks.

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Work with the Go Direct team to publicize
• your site(s)
• Go Direct provides tools to help you promote your
  involvement
• with Go Direct
• Media alert templates around Super Saturday,
  kick-off and other tax season events
• Talking points for IRS representatives, coalition
  leaders and volunteers
• Newsletter article templates that can be
  published during tax preparation activities
• Campaign representatives can help with publicity
  in select cities

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Implement Go Direct programming
• Volunteer preparers discuss direct deposit and
  sign up interested taxpayers at their work
  station (by phone or online)
• Intake volunteers flag check recipients and
  encourage them to talk with a designated direct
  deposit point person during quality review
• Show Go Direct video in waiting area

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• More ideas for your site(s)
• Invite a bank or credit union to host an
  information table sign people up for accounts
  and direct deposit at the same time
• Display materials prominently
• Play a financial literacy PowerPoint on
  continuous scroll in the waiting area
• Visit www.GoDirect.org for ideas and read case
  studies from 2006

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• Enrollment how to sign up a taxpayer
• Online Visit www.GoDirect.org
• By phone Call the toll-free Go Direct helpline
  800-333-1795 (English and Spanish)
• In person Visit your local bank, credit union or
  Social Security office
• FMS Form 1200 Fill out and mail a government
  form

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Volunteer Tax Preparation Program

• For more information, or to join the IRS and Go
  Direct in this important initiative
• Call your Go Direct campaign representative, or
  the partner hotline at [phone] or
• Email GoDirect_at_webershandwick.com