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404 538 4536

404 538 4536. 2009 NJ Coordinators Meeting aka District Coordinators Meeting. Ken Hoffman NJ State Coordinator 973-731-5613 e-mail: njtaxaide@comcast.net. Welcome and Thank You.

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404 538 4536

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  1. 404 538 4536

  2. 2009 NJ Coordinators Meetingaka District Coordinators Meeting Ken Hoffman NJ State Coordinator 973-731-5613 e-mail: njtaxaide@comcast.net

  3. Welcome and Thank You • Our sincere thanks to each of you in leadership positions and to each of our 900+ volunteers in New Jersey for their dedication and service. • Our Goal for this meeting is to provide District Coordinators, Technology Coordinators and Instructors the latest information, policies and tools available to effectively communicate our message to everyone and to provide an opportunity for you all to network with others

  4. What’s New • Many of you • A more active and interactive State Management Team • NJ web site www.njtaxaide.org/tavolunteers • A repository for a wealth of information • AARP Web based Recruiting Process • Web based sign up process for this meeting • New efforts with publicity • A new AARP Regional Coordinator • New IRS Territorial Manager (Acting)

  5. What else is new? • A much improved and comprehensive training process • VOS – Voice Over Slides • NJ Proficiency Exam • Different ways to take the IRS exam • All Districts are e-filing • Success in partnering • Transitioning in many Districts • Webinars on many subjects • And by the way …. a few changes in the tax law

  6. Nationwide • Prepared 1.5M 2008 federal returns • 93% of federal returns were e-filed • up from 88% • Total paper returns dropped to about ~83K • Assisted 2.6M clients • Processed returns totaling ~ $200,000,000 EIC • Prepared >1M state returns • 97% of clients recommend our service

  7. Demographics of Those We Serve • 78% are 60 years old or older • 37% Married • 64% female, 36% male • 60% <$30,000, 8%>$80,000 • 78% are repeat clients • 66% fully retired

  8. Acronyms • Tax Wise is the only software program authorized for Tax aide • There are two versions of TW (Desktop & TWO) • CCH – Commerce Clearing House – Makers of Tax Wise • IRS purchase licenses including registration code • EFIN – Number provided by the IRS for e-filing • ERO – Electronic Return Originator • Those who transmit returns prepared by themselves or others to CCH>IRS & NJ DOT • EFC – Electronic filing counselor • Those preparing returns on a computer • COU - Counselors

  9. Acronyms • CF - Client Facilitators • LC - Site (Local) Coordinator • All counselors, Client Facilitators, EROs to a LC • DC - District Coordinator • All site coordinators report to a DC • Instructors report to the DC • SC - State Coordinator • RC – Regional Coordinator (NY, NJ & PA)

  10. Meeting Agenda

  11. Food...Did Someone Mention Food? • Continental Breakfast available at 730AM • There will be breaks in the morning and afternoon • Social Hour will begin at ~5PM (cash bar), followed by a complimentary dinner

  12. Common Threads • Prepare the most accurate returns possible for the greatest number of clients • Includes 100% Quality Review • Use of Intake and Interview Sheet • New Web based tools available for more effective communications and management oversight • Training – Recommended process for all districts • Tax Aide Foundation has financial challenges • How to do more, serve more with less?

  13. Demos and Workshops • There will be live demos during many sessions • Activity Reporting • Expense Reporting • AARP Extranet – Where to find information • Site and personnel records • New Jersey Web Site • How to download documents and other files • Links to IRS & AARP Web Sites • Training Information • Detailed District Information including 2008 results, e-file ratios, QR performance, Google Maps with much site data etc • Some Districts have developed their District specific Web Site • Hands On Workshop will follow dinner 7PM here • TWO • NJ Web Site, what's there and and how to use it effectively

  14. District Coordinator Session I • Organizational Updates • TY2008 Results & TY2009 Challenges • What’s New in 2009 • Coming of Age: Introducing NJ Tax Aide Web Site, new recruitment system, new efforts with publicity, partnering and re-inventing our volunteer workforce (utilization and retention of experienced counselors)

  15. Organizational Updates • Al Hershey – PCS • Responsible for NJ State recruiting efforts, communications (Web Site), partnerships • Denise Montana – Prospective Volunteer Coordinator • All new volunteers are routed to the PVC • New (or relatively new), District Coordinators • Beverly Williams, Union • Bob Sherman, Monmouth • Harry Fillmore, Ocean West • John Kane, Bergen • Phil DeCarolis, Ocean North • DC Openings in Atlantic & Essex

  16. New Jersey Statistics • 57,500 Taxpayers Helped • Prepared ~30,000 Federal returns • 903 volunteers (was 938 in CY2008) • 725 Counselors • 156 Client Facilitators • 198 Sites-11 recently closed=187 (was 235 in CY2008) • e-file ratio = 77% (up from 46% in 2005) • All districts >40% e-file • Eight districts >80% e-file • 77% Quality Review reported • Closed Cape May and Cumberland Counties • Opening up Hudson County (Jersey City)

  17. 3 Year Growth • 3 year growth excludes Telephone Excise Tax and Stimulus returns • E-file ratio increased from 46% to ~77% over 3 years New Jersey SMT

  18. 2009 Challenges • Remain vigilant with TP confidential information • Serve more clients at more efficient sites (Requires paradigm change) • Increase Recruitment Efforts – Our biggest impediment to assisting more clients and now, this year, equipment • Equipment challenges - Seek Grants and/or Partnerships • e-file Goals for TY2009 – Increase e-file in all districts to 90% • Investigate possible usage of TWO (Tax Wise Online) for next year • Identify ways to cut expenses • A member of the SMT will present at each of your District Meetings – Let Gary Blauth know when they are scheduled

  19. Quality Review • 100% Quality Review – By a second certified counselor • It not only makes sense but is grant requirement • 25% to 50% of returns we prepare have errors picked up during review • All documents prepared must be Quality Reviewed • Federal Returns • State Returns • PTRs • Tenant Rebate • Where QR is not being done 100%, 3 remedies by March 15th • IRS & AARP will visit the site and try to correct the err of their ways • The DC will be asked to educate or change site management • The violating counselors will be relieved of their counselor status and the site re-staffed with compliant counselors OR • The site(s) will be closed (i.e. Cape May and Cumberland)

  20. Quality Review Results 15 Districts • 2 Districts at 100%: Morris and Ocean North • 5 Districts >90%: Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Somerset • 1 District almost 90%: Ocean South __________________________________________ • 7 Districts Commit to Improve: Bergen, Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean West, Passaic and Union including 1 District reporting 40% QR

  21. IRS Intake and Interview Form • 100% use of the IRS Intake and Interview Form • It is a grant requirement – “Not, It would be nice if you did” • We need them for all returns (paper and e-file) • It will help us prepare more accurate returns • It may tickle the clients memory • “Oh I forgot about that $50,000 CD” • It will assist Quality Review • Some client facilitators may be able to help clients complete the I&I forms and also properly organize clients papers • Making your job easier and allowing more time for QR!! • Order them now so that you do not run out • You wouldn’t want to be without them, would you? • Denise Perry will tell you how

  22. But Some Resist Change

  23. Comments Heard About QR • We don’t have time to Quality Review every return • Tough, do it right or don’t do it • We won’t be able to do as many returns • See note above • Clients will have to wait a longer time • Schedule clients better or start to schedule if you are not doing so • I have been doing tax returns for 122 years and I don’t make mistakes • Oh yeh • Quality Reviewing paper returns • How do we do them?

  24. Impediments To Change • Clients have been coming to this site for 22 years • We serve local residents only • We only serve folks over 60 • The young folks can go to a paid preparer • We only want to do returns for folks w/income <$55K • These are the folks that really need our help!! • We each have our own clients who insist on having us preparing their returns • They don’t have time for us to do a proper QR

  25. Other Comments • When asked: Clients do not want to e-file because: • They have never done it that way before • The don’t trust these new fangled contraptions • I’ve been preparing paper returns for 100 yrs • I can’t/won’t start using a computer now • I can’t see the screen very well • Well…how ‘bout the tax tables, W-2s, 1099s etc • Clients come to the Senior Center for meals/activities • And while there, we do their taxes • And cannot/willnot travel 3 miles to get to a site

  26. Policy, Guidelines, Best Practices

  27. When Can/Cannot Prepare Tax Returns Statement of Policy • We will prepare and quality review returns for taxpayers • Of any age • Of any income • As long as the return is not too complex and falls within the restrictions of the “New Jersey Can Do List” • We shall not prepare returns • For items we have not been trained for • Items on the “NJ Cannot Do List” • Items that we do not feel comfortable with • Where a thorough Quality Review cannot be accomplished • Situations where we feel the truth is a stranger • We give scheduling preference to those 60+ years

  28. Site Policy • No one counselor sites are permitted – Period • If there are two person sites and one counselor is absent, the site must either • Close • Locate another counselor to allow Quality Review • No new paper only sites can be opened or re-opened • No new sites with less than 3 volunteers should be opened

  29. Insurance • The AARP Foundation provides travel accident insurance coverage for AARP Tax-Aide volunteers for accidental death and dismemberment and medical expenses for any injury incurred while conducting AARP Foundation business directly related to the volunteer’s position. 

  30. Data DrivenGather Statistics Using IRS Data • How many current year returns were prepared by District and how many by each site • Total Federal Returns • What percentage are e-filed • What percentage are manually filed • Identify sites with less than 100 returns as potential candidates for consolidation • Identify sites with less than 80% e-files • Identify low hanging fruit

  31. Site Size by District

  32. Analyze Site Information • Used IRS data • Used Google Map Drop Pins • Site Name, address etc • SIDN • Closest 3 sites with distances indicated • Number of returns completed and % e-filed • Quality Review Ratio • LC Name • Set Goals For the State, District and Sites • XX% e-file for TY2009, YY% e-file for 2010

  33. Sites SummaryJust The Facts Ma’am • 38 (19%) paper only sites!! • Can you imagine that • 27 small sites (<40 returns) are consolidation candidates • 30 large sites <80% e-file ratio incl 2 paper sites • 77% Quality Review reported by us New Jersey SMT

  34. How Can We Serve More Clients…with the same or less (sites, computers etc) • Expand or add large sites, open multiple days/shifts per day • Become more efficient • Assign computers to sites, not individuals • Use CF to fullest extent possible especially w/new I&I Form • Conduct training for Client Facilitators • Analyze productivity (average returns takes x time) • Establish Partnerships – They R easier than you think • Request use of site owned equipment • Apply for Grants and/or equipment donations • Implement strategies appropriate for your district • One size doesn’t fit all New Jersey SMT

  35. Advantages of Larger SitesOpen multiple Days, shifts and counselors • More volunteers, more experience, more correct answers to more questions, more coaching, less dead time, more flexible scheduling, less overhead • Greater ability to accommodate • Complex/lengthy client returns • Client “no-shows” & “walk-ins” • Counselor last minute unavailability • Computers are used for multiple shifts & counselors

  36. More with the same resources (Efficiency) • Are counselors or computers idle when they could be preparing returns? • Are EFCs doing things that could be done by others? • Is the wait for a quality review excessive? • How are clients assigned to counselors? • Are computers assigned to counselors or sites? • How many returns does each AARP/IRS laptops produce? • If you are busy, does that mean you are productive?

  37. Consider Hours and Days Site Is Open • In one District, found two sites ¼ mile apart each open 4 hours 1 day a week • Huh, we thought, one of those should be closed! • Looking further, we found that neither site could provide us with more 4 hours and more than 1 day and there were enough clients served to leave this situation alone

  38. What’s New In 2009 Tax Law…Besides the New 4 Page IRS Intake and Interview Sheet • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act • Making Work Pay Credit (Schedule M) • Reduced by Economic Recovery Payment ($250) • Sales Tax Deductions for those taking standard deduction (Schedule L) • Non Business Energy Tax (Form 5695 Part I only) • New Home owners refundable credit • Portion of unemployment compensation not taxed

  39. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) • Temporary increase income limits and amount of EITC for 2009 and 2010 for those with 3 or more qualifying children • Temporary increase in refundable portion of Additional CTC based on $3,000 minimum earnings • American Opportunity Tax Credit (Expanded Hope Educational Credit) • Ups maximum to $2,500 of which 40% is refundable • Additional course materials • Covers 4 years vs 2 years of post secondary education

  40. And …. • Savings Bond Initiative w/limited options • Revised definition of Qualifying Child • New rules for Children of Divorced or Separated Parents • Waived of RMD of pension plans • Additional K-1 flow through income items from K-1s (Interest, dividend and capital gains) • Schedule L: Standard Deduction for certain TP • Schedule M: Making Work Pay and Govt Retiree Credits • 1099 A and 1099C regarding debt forgiveness/foreclosure • Not new this year but probably more prevalent

  41. Bernie Madoff??? Well not exactly

  42. AARP Foundation Operating BudgetGets Hammered • A declination in AARP investment returns • Significant reductions corporate Grants • Significant reductions individual donations

  43. What Can We Do? • Mileage compensation is liberal • For those who itemize • Consider taking a Flat rate • Consider voluntarily reducing • The mileage rate reimbursement • The number of miles requested for reimbursement • Look for Sources or Grants for equipment and… • Open larger, more efficient sites and close smaller ones • Ask counselors to use personal computers • No $$ to replace 565 inoperable computers and 155 printers (Category 1 equipment) • Identify areas of possible cost reduction • Possibly service remote sites less days per season

  44. Mileage >$350 Requires SC For “I” Expenses (Counseling) • Counseling expenses (“I”) over $350 require prior approval by DC & SC • If there is good and sufficient reason for “I” expenses over that amount • Ask volunteers to accept the cap • If that is unacceptable, “I” expenses expected to exceed $350 must be pre-approved by the DC and SC, and both MUST approve the expense statement

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