Serving Immigrants

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Serving Immigrants
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About the Center for Economic Progress

• Providing free tax preparation to low-income
  taxpayers for 11 years
• Served over 25,000 taxpayers during 2005
• The Center also runs a Low-Income Tax Clinic
  (LITC)
• Provides financial literacy and specialized tax
  training

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Keep it simple

• Basic information is needed on issues like filing
  requirements, where to get forms
• Translators are needed in areas where we
  historically only served English-speaking
  clients. Number of immigrant taxpayers growing in
  areas like Minnesota and Colorado.
• Taxpayer education on W-4 and W-5 forms

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Issues Surrounding Immigrant Taxpayers

• Should I file a tax return?
• Abuse by employers of advance Earned Income
  Credit
• Need to apply for ITINs for themselves and
  dependents

• VITA sites apprehensive about doing ITIN
  applications
• VITA volunteers uncomfortable with ITINs

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Partnership with IRS

• Local IRS SPEC ( Stakeholders, Partnerships,
  Education and Communication)
• ITIN and informational events
• Education (e.g. 1099s and quarterly pymts)
• HIRE (Hispanic IRS Employees)
• Taxpayer Advocate Service
• TAC Center
• LITCs (IRS funded)

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Other Strategies

• Become a Certifying Acceptance Agent
• Partnership with other community-based
  organizations
• Partnership with the Mexican Consulate
• Banks