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A Taxing View of Self-Direction

A Taxing View of Self-Direction. Jim Hoegemeier The Arc-Wisconsin Disability Association. Turbo Tax. The Simple Life. Didn’t make much money; Didn’t own a home; Wasn’t married; Didn’t have any deductions; Could file the IRS 1040 EZ Form. The Complexities of Life. Had a side-business;

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A Taxing View of Self-Direction

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  1. A Taxing View ofSelf-Direction Jim Hoegemeier The Arc-Wisconsin Disability Association

  2. Turbo Tax

  3. The Simple Life • Didn’t make much money; • Didn’t own a home; • Wasn’t married; • Didn’t have any deductions; • Could file the IRS 1040 EZ Form

  4. The Complexities of Life • Had a side-business; • Bought a house; • Got married; • Had some other deductions; • Hired an accounting firm to do our taxes; • Cost a fair amount of money

  5. Looking For Middle Ground • Felt we were paying a fair amount of money to have someone enter numbers into a computer program; • Someone told me about their experience with Turbo Tax; • Looked like a good option

  6. What Is Turbo Tax? • Went online and learned about Turbo Tax; • Need to have access to all of your information; • Will guide you through the process; • Offers different levels of support; • Does much of what an accounting firm does; • I had to do some work

  7. Three Ways to Crack an Egg I needed my tax forms completed. • Could do it myself; • Very inexpensive; • Would I know all of the new tax changes? • Would I make any mistakes in figures? • Would I fill out the right forms? • Would my wife scream at me if I screwed up?

  8. Three Ways to Crack an Egg I needed my tax forms completed. • Could pay firm to do them – pretty expensive; • Don’t have a connection between financial activities and tax consequences; • If there is a mistake, it is somebody else’s mistake.

  9. Three Ways to Crack an Egg I needed by my tax forms completed. • Found Turbo Tax – middle ground – fairly inexpensive; • Led through process; • Had to enter information myself; • Could see impact of each entry on tax bottom line; • Availability of support if desired and needed

  10. How Does Turbo Tax Relate to Service Programs? You need a level of support. • You could do it all by yourself; • Find resources to help get services and supports you need; • You need to do virtually everything by yourself; • You have entire responsibility; • Like trying to do taxes on your own.

  11. How Does Turbo Tax Relate to Service Programs? You need a level of support. • Have other people plan and arrange for your services; • Costly to the system, but little for you to do; • You will get what other people think you want and need; • Very helpful in complex situations; • Like paying the accounting firm to do your taxes

  12. How Does Turbo Tax Relate to Service Programs? You need a level of support. • Can play a big role in developing and implementing your service plan; • You have significant say and responsibility; • Do have entities to support you in developing and implementing plan – when needed; • Like using Turbo Tax to complete taxes

  13. The Pitfalls of Self-Direction • It isn’t for everybody; • There is increased level responsibility; • The transition from a different level can take some effort; • Need to know where and when to seek support

  14. The Benefits of Self-Direction • While you will have increased responsibility, you will have increased influence; • Once you make the transition, it usually goes smoother; • You can clearly see how decisions you make regarding your plan will impact the types and levels of supports received;

  15. The Benefits of Self-Direction • There is a lower cost to the “system” that allows more resources to serve you and others; • It is the way most of us live our lives.

  16. The Current Environment for Self-Direction • Current leadership of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services strongly supports concepts related to self-direction; • Whether the support is based solely on principle, cost factors or a combination, legislators will likely share support

  17. What We Can Do • If you have experience with self-direction, share it with others; • If you do not have experience with self-direction, learn from others; • Tap into the growing number of available resources; • Be open to the ongoing possibility that self-direction may or may not be the best option for you

  18. Self-Direction Resources • www.incontrolwisconsin.org • www.wisconsin-iris.com • www.wi-bpdd.org/projects/selfdetermination.cfm • www.centerforself-determination.com

  19. The Arc-Wisconsin Jim Hoegemeier, Executive Director The Arc-Wisconsin Disability Association 2800 Royal Ave., Suite 209 Madison, WI 53713 (877) 272-8400 arcwjim@att.net www.arc-wisconsin.org

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