The Michigan Statewide Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition
Made up of statewide and local organizations and public agencies, the Statewide Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition is committed to supporting work and reducing poverty for Michigan’s low to moderate income individuals and families through outreach on available tax credits and refunds, including the federal and state earned income credit. It also promotes asset building, financial services and financial security. The coalition is administered by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), with website and list serve support provided by the Michigan Poverty Law Program and statistics and research contributed by the Michigan League for Human Services.
Show Me the Money Day Events, 2012
Show Me the Money Day is an annual statewide event in Michigan held on the last weekend in January. Local events held across the state provide Michigan residents access to numerous community resources through vendor fairs and free financial education classes. This year Show Me the Money Day kicks off with a press conference at the state capitol on Friday, January 27, 2012 and continues with local events on Saturday, January 28, 2012.This year's Show Me the Money Day events were a huge success! You can see videos from this year's Show Me the Monday Day events in Saginaw and Flint. For more information, you can also visit the Show Me the Monday Day website.
New for 2011:
Utah State University Cooperative Extension recently launched a Rural Tax Education website to provide farmers and ranchers and Extension educators with agriculturally-related income tax information. The homepage of the website includes information about upcoming free-of-charge webinars related to agricultural taxes, as well as a highlighted hot topic in the farm tax field. It also includes a link to the updated Tax Guide for Owners and Operators of Small and Medium Farms.
Also on the website are a list of Tax Topic fact sheets, a sample 2009 tax return, a list of related links, and a brief history of the National Farm Income Tax Extension Committee.
New for Tax Year 2011
Earned Income and adjusted gross income (AGI) must each be less than:
- $43,998 (49,078) married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children
- $40,964 ($46,044 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children
- $36,052 ($41,132 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child
- $13,660 ($18,740 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children
Tax Year 2011 maximum credit:
- $5,751 with three or more qualifying children
- $5,112 with two qualifying children
- $3,094 with one qualifying child
- $464 with no qualifying children
Investment income must be $3,150 or less for the year.
(Source: Internal Revenue Service website)
MEIC Members in the news
- Volunteers train to help seniors, low-income people with taxes
-
Martin Luther King Jr. day of service recognized throughout city [Flint]
New for Tax Year 2010 - I-CAN! E-File Expanded to VITA Sites
Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) is excited to
announce that Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the
nation will have the opportunity to count tax returns prepared through
I-CAN! E-File toward their VITA results for the 2010 tax-filing year.
I-CAN! E-File (www.icanefile.org)
is an online self-help tool that enables taxpayers to prepare and
e-file their federal and select state tax returns 100% free of charge.
In the past, VITA sites have not had the opportunity to receive credit
from the IRS for incorporating self-help tools such as I-CAN! E-File.
This announcement will enable LASOC to partner with VITA sites
throughout that nation and increase the number of low-income taxpayers
receiving free tax preparation assistance.
VITA sites wanting to participate in offering I-CAN! E-File and having
those numbers captured for VITA reporting must meet the following
requirements:
- Have a site identification number (SDIN)
- Have a VITA trained staff member or volunteer certified at the IRS' basic tax law level on site for tax law question assistance; and
- Sign up to participate by completing the following survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SYVQ8S6
I-CAN! E-File has the possibility to revolutionize the way VITA
sites offer free tax preparation services. Organizations offering VITA
and I-CAN! E-File will have the ability to build capacity and teach
low-income taxpayers how to utilize self-help technology to file their
own federal and state tax returns.
For any questions or to receive more information, please contact Jeanette Valencia via email at jvalencia@legal-aid.com. Sign-Up Now!
Free Tax Help
Click here to to file your taxes electronically with ICAN! E-File, for free!
Click here for a list of places where you can get your taxes done, for free!
Videos to promote the EITC and VITA
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fX5HHrMyi_I - short version
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=y3y6qxfQkp8 - long version
Statewide EITC Coalition Goals
1. Strengthening access to affordable, ethical tax preparation services for the working poor
2. Maximizing the value of income supports for working households
3. Advocating for and taking legislative action regarding policy that advances the working poor toward financial security
Statewide EITC Coalition Members
American Association for Retired Persons (AARP)--Michigan Chapter
Cass County EITC Coalition
Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM)
ELGA Credit Union
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Financial Health Credit Union
Genesee County Tax Coalition
Internal Revenue Service- Michigan SPECS Office
Kent County Tax Credit Coalition
Lighthouse of Oakland County
Michigan Association of CPAs
Michigan Association of United Ways
Michigan Community Reinvestment Coalition
Michigan Community Action Agency Association
Michigan Department of Human Services
Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth
Michigan Department of Treasury
Michigan League for Human Services
Michigan Municipal League
Michigan State University Extension
Michigan State University Sustainable Food Systems
Michigan Works! Association
Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency
United Way of Montcalm/Ionia Counties
United Way of Southwest Michigan
Volunteer Centers of Michigan
Wayne County Asset Building Coalition
Wayne Metro Community Action Agency
There is a Statewide EITC Coalition Listserve for those who would like to receive notifications about coalition activities. If you are interested in being on the listserve, please e-mail Ross Yednock at yednock (at) cedam (dot) info or call 517/485-3588.
Updated 10/18/11
