Don't forget to mark your calendar!

VITA Awareness Day is March 15

Prosperity Now is excited to celebrate VITA Awareness Day on March 15th and we are counting on you to help us highlight the value of VITA programs and their impact on communities across the country. We will continue to shout from the rooftops: VITA is a crucial tool in the fight for financial security.

Please be on the lookout in your inbox and on Prosperity Now social media @ProsperityNow for our VITA Toolkit as well as other resources and opportunities to get involved around VITA Awareness Day. We hope you will also mark the day by supporting your local VITA site. Thank you for your participation!

Get ready for VITACon 2023!

VITACon is returning in person in 2023! This year, we are headed to Pittsburgh, PA in partnership with Just Harvest and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. While we are still confirming the exact dates, we know that VITACon will be in the first half of September and wanted to give you a heads-up so you can start planning your travel early. Please keep an eye out for the official VITACon announcement coming soon!

What's New from TON?

Tax Tuesday is Every Tuesday!

We are in the midst of the tax season and community tax preparers across the country are working hard to help families file their taxes, so we’re excited to launch our #TaxTuesday campaign, expanding on a different tax topic each week. Follow along on social media @ProsperityNow!

The 2023 Prosperity Now Scorecard

In February, we released the 2023 Prosperity Now Scorecard, an online data and advocacy tool that puts racial wealth equity at the center of building an economy that works for everyone. You can find research on outcomes surrounding State Child Tax Credits (CTCs), Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs), tax preparation regulations and more. Explore the 2023 Prosperity Now Scorecard today!

Prosperity Now's 2023 Policy Priorities

Last month, we released our federal and state and local policy priorities for 2023. Some of our priorities include creating an equitable tax system, building towards universal financial security, and promoting good jobs and a livable income. Read a summary of our policy priorities by clicking here.

A special thank you to the Taxpayer Opportunity Network Policy Advisory Committee, who helped us develop our tax and VITA-related policy priorities.

State and Local Policy Updates

New Jersey – In 2022, New Jersey enacted a refundable state-level Child Tax Credit for children under six years old. Eligible families will receive $500 per child in 2023. Advocacy efforts have already started to expand New Jersey’s CTC to a larger monetary amount of $1000 and to include children up to eleven years old. Expanding the CTC is important to combat inflation and to support families in their quest for financial security.
New Hampshire – In New Hampshire, state House Bill 294 would allow municipalities to adopt their own Child Tax Credits.
Michigan – The Michigan State House recently passed HB 4001 which approved drastic state EITC expansion and funding for affordable housing.

Resources From the Field

VITA Reports from Prosperity Now

Recently, Prosperity Now has released multiple reports jam-packed with resources for the Community Tax Prep field and VITA practitioners. The first is our Build Back Savings Report, which focuses on how VITA can be utilized to restart emergency savings. Additionally, we published Alternative Tax-refund Products, A VITA Program Opportunity?, which details a research project Prosperity Now undertook to investigate if an opportunity existed to support clients in accessing safer refund anticipation loans through VITA sites. Check them out!

MyFreeTaxes Self-Employed Tax Guides | MyFreeTaxes by United Way

United Way created the guides to help more self-employed small business owners easily and accurately file their taxes for free.

The Antipoverty Effects of the Expanded Child Tax Credit across States: Where Were the Historic Reductions Felt? | The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution

This report from The Hamilton Project not only shows that the Child Tax Credit (CTC) did significant work in reducing childhood poverty across the United States, but also how the CTC helped children the most in low-cost and high-poverty states, like many states in the South.

IRS/SPEC

Upcoming IRS SPEC Partner Webcasts

IRS SPEC hosts regular Partner Webcasts that are meant to ensure that you feel confident during the filing season and beyond. Join the next SPEC Webcast on April 4, 2023. For more information about this event and to obtain the full 2023 schedule, please contact your local SPEC Relationship Manager.

IRS Face-to-Face Saturdays | Sat March 11 | 9am-4pm

Many IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) nationwide will open to offer taxpayers additional time for face-to-face help with their tax issues.

Network Events, Job Opportunities and More

Tax Time Thursdays | Center on Budget & Policy Priorities | Get it Back Campaign | March 9-May 4, 2023, 2:00 PM ET

Special Announcement: VITA Survey Request from the FDIC

On May 1, 2023, the FDIC is preparing to field a survey of VITA providers to explore the potential role of VITA providers in partnerships with banks to help people open checking and savings accounts. The FDIC will be sending out the survey link by email on May 1; please help by completing that survey. It will ask questions at the individual site level and take 15-20 minutes to complete. All survey responses will be confidential, and a report using only aggregate data will be released in early 2024. If you are a VITA provider, please fill out the survey!