Blog
Read our analyses and opinions on tax issues, and add your own.
NCTC Announces Free Use of NCTC Online University
The National Community Tax Coalition (NCTC) is proud to announce that its NCTC Online University has added additional courses and will be available for FREE this tax season - starting right now!
State stories: Strengthen the EITC, strengthen local economies
This week, NCTC was able to help our Illinois affiliate – the Center for Economic Progress – make an important plug for increasing that state’s Earned Income Tax Credit.
Federal Benefit Payments Are Going All-Electronic
Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service
The long & short of EITC’s value to families
The majority of households claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit do so only for brief stretches of time, according to new research that indicates the credit’s value as a short-term aid to many families in temporary need of help.
2011 Day of Action: A Success!
NCTC members had a record-breaking day of action in Washington, DC on October 13, 2011. Organizations from 18 states had meetings with over 60 congressional offices to ask support for the VITA Act of 2011 and to preserve refundable tax credits. We also hosted a congressional briefing with the Congressman Mike Honda, the lead sponsor of H.R. 2151, the VITA Act of 2011. We hope to grow our days of action to become bigger and better every year!
National Program Survey Results Released
How does your free tax preparation program compare to others in its field? How do other programs train their volunteers and ensure quality returns? NCTC’s 2011 National Program Survey throws light on these questions.
Memo from DC: More clarity, please
After a week spent solidifying support for the VITA Act of 2011 and protection of tax credits for working families, NCTC’s policy-and-advocacy team has returned from Washington, DC ready to tighten up the communications strategies supporting those priorities.
TIGTA Report on VITA and Other Volunteer Tax Programs
As you may have heard, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) released their annual audit of the VITA program today. There is the potential for negative publicity due to the report’s criticisms and we want you to be prepared.
Ensuring High-Quality, Affordable Assistance for America’s Taxpayers: Highlights of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program’s 2011 Efforts
The National Community Tax Coalition (NCTC) is the nation’s leading coalition of non-profit, voluntary entities providing free tax preparation assistance and financial services to low-income individuals and families.
NCTC Issues Comments on IRS Continuing Education Provider Rules
In response to a notice for written comments from the IRS, NCTC issued official comments on the approval process for continuing education providers and provider accrediting organizations in relation to the ongoing implementation of new paid preparer regulations.
Looking Back at NCTC's Thought Leader Circle II
The second of three Thought Leader Circles was held on July 28th in New York City. A component of the Sustainable Models research project, funded by the Ford Foundation, the circles bring together leaders in the tax preparation field to participate in a robust research initiative exploring sustainability issues. These learnings will help inform the future direction of the community tax preparation field in service delivery, revenue generation, and policy.
Treasury Dept. Announces Pilot Program on EITC Eligibility
Program will seek to identify ineligible EITC claimants and eligible individuals who do not claim the EITC through state data.
Obama Nominates Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director, Richard Cordray
Today, President Obama formally announced his nomination of Richard Cordray as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Treasury Dept. Announces Elimination of Paper Bonds - Action Needed!
While the tax time savings bond program is safe, your help is needed to ensure our clients are being served!
Guest Blog: Revealing the People Behind Tax Credits
Guest blogger Steve Holt of Holt Solutions highlights key demographic findings about VITA clients' use of select tax credits in data pulled from sites participating in the Anne E. Casey Foundation's National Tax Assistance for Working Families Campaign (NTA).
MEDA Director Discusses Financial Aid Awareness Week on Univision
Dairo Romero, Director of Programs at the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in San Francisco was recently interviewed by Univsion 14 about MEDA's involement in Financial Aid U and Financial Aid Awareness Week.
CEP President David Marzahl Discusses Financial Aid Awareness Week on WGN TV
David Marzahl discusses what Financial Aid Awareness Week means, and what the Center for Economic Progress is doing to promote awareness in the Chicago area.
Happy Financial Aid Awareness Week!
Cities across the country have declared February 6-12, 2011 "Financial Aid Awareness Week."
National EITC Awareness Day
While hundreds of VITA programs celebrated National EITC Awareness Day in their local communities, NCTC celebrated with a policy briefing on Capitol Hill.
Tax Refunds Will Not Count Against Public Benefits
New legislation approved by Congress in December 2010 will spare low-income taxpayers from having much needed refunds count against other federal public benefits programs.
