Mission
The Schuylkill Money in Your Pocket Campaign is a project dedicated to promoting EITC outreach, free tax preparation alternatives, and asset development strategies. It is the mission of this Partnership to provide information about the EITC, thereby increasing the number of families that receive the tax credit. The Partnership also aims to pull together local non-profit organizations, financial institutions, and businesses to form a concentrated effort to provide EITC education and to encourage low-income, working families and individuals to utilize SCA's free income tax preparation centers.

Partnership
The Campaign includes a 17 member partnership that includes: Child Care Information Services of Schuylkill County, Child Development, Inc., City of Pottsville Housing Authority, Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), Internal Revenue Service, Keystone Nazareth Bank and Trust (KNBT), KNBT Foundation, M & T Bank Foundation, McCann School of Business and Technology, Pottsville, Schuylkill County Housing Authority, Sovereign Bank, Sovereign Bank Foundation, The United Way, Vist Bank.

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, The EITC is a federally funded, anti-poverty initiative that helps working people maintain their independence from the welfare system. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, indicate that in 1999, the EITC lifted 4.7 million people - including 2.6 million children of low-income workers - above the federal poverty line. In 2003, over 21 million working families and individuals received the EITC. Yet research indicates that 15 to 20 percent of those who are eligible each year fail to claim their credit, either because they are unaware of it or cannot obtain the help they may need to file a tax return.

The most current IRS information estimates that in Schuylkill County in the year 2000, over $2.2 million in Earned Income Credit went unclaimed by eligible residents. Over $464,000 of that total is estimated to be due to residents in Pottsville solely.

Saving Taxpayers Money
An estimated 42% of all Schuylkill County residents claiming the EITC purchase a loan product called a RAL (refund anticipation loan). For this short-term loan, the taxpayer often pays fees in excess of $100 (in addition to the fees they pay to have their taxes prepared and filed), and incurs an implicit annual interest rate on the loan of 250 percent or higher. Programs like VITA save EITC families money otherwise consumed by high tax preparer fees and predatory loans.

Results since 2003

• In the last six years SCA has helped to put back $2,440,585.00 in income tax returns to hard working, low-income families.

• One hundred percent of the refunds went directly to the tax filers.

• The preparation of tax returns by volunteers resulted in savings of over $274,394.00 in interest, fees and charges for tax preparation, RAL's and check cashing.

Funders
Support for the 2009 Campaign operations and activities come from: Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED), IRS, Keystone Nazareth Charitable Foundation (KNBT), Schuylkill Community Action, Sovereign Bank. In-kind support comes from all fourteen (16) Partner agencies.
 

• Must bring photo identification

• Social Security Cards for the Taxpayer, their spouse and dependents, if applicable

• Birth Dates for primary, secondary and dependents on the tax return

• Current year's tax package if they received one

• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers

• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)

• A copy of last year's Federal and State returns if available

• Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit

• Other relevant information about income and expenses

• Total Amount Paid for Day Care

• Day Care providers Identifying number

The VITA Program offers free tax help for low- to moderate-income (approximately $48,279) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. Volunteers, sponsored by various organizations, receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations. Some locations also offer free electronic filing.

As an IRS VITA Partner, Schuylkill Community Action, through the Schuylkill Money in Your Pocket Campaign, recruits and coordinates the training of volunteer tax preparers.