Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition
Asset Building Coalition
I am so pleased with the response our attendees had to our big event – we all walked away with a new level of awareness about our own habits and attitudes in addition to ways to help those we serve and those we love create a more stable financial future!
Check out the article here.
Thanks, as always, to our local paper for covering important events in the community!
Posted by Cricket
In a recent conversation with my teenage son, the subject of the current economy came up. Being 18 and in a more sophisticated society than I was, he has a lot of pertinent insight into matters I knew nothing about when I was that age. He loves to talk politics and I loved to talk about the boy in my Algebra class.
Nevertheless, we were talking about the price of gas and other financial matters of the day and I made the comment that I wished real life were as easy as the games I play on Facebook. You buy something, you no longer want it or you need extra ‘coins’ and with a click of the mouse, it’s sold.
We both agreed that is what makes stores like “Half Price Books” so relevant in today’s economy. You can gather up your books, DVD’s, even game systems and take them in and walk about with a few extra bucks in your pocket on the spot! No shipping or waiting, etc. like on-line selling sites.
Obviously you are not going to make back your investment, but with the state of affairs in most people’s checkbooks today, it is a nice option to have for some cash on hand.
In honor of National Financial Literacy Month, SIABC has launched an online 6 month money challenge designed to help you examine your beliefs, feelings and attitudes about money as well as evaluate your relationship with the beloved dollar!
Join us on Facebook and you’ll find weekly CHALLENGES focused on a particular financial theme! You’ll have access to the tools, information and resources you’ll need to help you change your behavior and create habits that support your financial goals.
We kicked off the challenge in April on Facebook with a focus on spending but it’s not too late! Jump on in and let SIABC help you reach the finish line of a great financial future!
Monthly Challenge Topics:
1. SPENDING
2. BUDGETING
3. Debt
4. Credit
5. SAVINGS
6. Organization
Click here to Join us on Facebook!
Posted by Cricket – Guest Contributor
On March 15, 2011, I had the opportunity to hear Suze Orman at The Louisville Free Public Library, thanks to SIABC! I admit I am not a loyal follower of the well-known author/speaker/financial guru and I think dread is probably the emotion I felt going in. My thought process was something like this:
“Oh great. Someone else telling me how much I have screwed up my finances.”
“Just what I 
want to hear, a lecture on investing and saving for the future, when I would just like to be able to put gas in my car for the week.”
“That’s nice for people who have a lot of money to do something with, but I barely get by as it is.”
So going in, I pretty much thought I wouldn’t take home anything but a bunch of guilt! I was SO WRONG!
Suze Orman was talking to real people like me. Some of her more significant messages that I took home were:
It was so eye opening and I have been giving a lot of thought to what she said.
She had a great Q/A session with the crowd of over 500 people and gave some really great advice to questions about money and marriage, saving for retirement, other Financial Advisors and so much more. I admired how she was willing to take whatever questions were thrown her way and some of them were pretty challenging! She also talked with great affection about her Mama which was so sweet to hear!
Suze Orman is on tour promoting her new book: The Money Class (www.suzeorman.com) BUT she advised everyone to check it out of the library if they don’t have the money to buy it!
So what about you?
Now would be a great time to join the 6 MONTH MONEY CHALLEGE going on at SIABC!
You could be eligible to get more money back from the IRS – as much as $5,666. If you earned less than $48,362 from wages, self-employment, or farming last year, you may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit – or EITC.
EITC is a financial boost for working people hit by hard economic times. You may qualify for the first time if your financial, marital or parental status changed in 2010.
Eligibility is based on several factors, including the source and amount of your income, or combined income if married, whether you have qualifying children and how many. Workers without children also may qualify.
Four of five eligible people claim and get their EITC. Use IRS’s online EITC Assistant to see if you qualify. If so, you must file to get it.
Free help is available at volunteer income tax assistance sites and IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. Locate a volunteer site by calling your community’s 211 or 311 number for local services or call the IRS at 1-800-906-9887.
Get back even more if your state also has an EITC.
EITC. You earned it. Now file, claim it and get it.
GREAT NEWS for SIABC and Southern Indiana – We were recently awarded grants from both the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana and the Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County to support our VITA Tax Preparation programs for 2011! Thanks to these wonderful foundations for their support of the non-profits in our region. Their support has provided so much to so many!
We also had some press this week – check out the article in the News and Tribune by clicking here.
Preparations for our 6th tax season are underway as we recruit and train over 70 volunteers for the 2011 Tax Prep season! Our goal is to get working families the tax credits they deserve, save them costly tax preparation fees and to provide them with information and tools to make smart decisions about how to apply their refunds towards asset building activities.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available – are you interested in supporting our efforts and reaching over 2,750 working families during tax season? If so, let’s meet! The opportunities are tremendous and the impact our program has on families is a great return on your investment!
Volunteer Opportunities also exist – we have room for everyone! We have openings for tax preparers as well as for intake and clerical volunteers. If you’d like to join us this tax season, give Whitney a call today!
Thank you Southern Indiana for supporting our efforts and understanding the value of giving back!
Join us for a week of great financial education workshops as we participate in Money Smart Week Indiana!
Money Smart Week is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances.
Money Smart Week in Southern Indiana will include partners like PNC Bank, Community Action of Southern Indiana, Housing Partnership, Inc., New Albany Housing Authority, Metro United Way and is being organized by the Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition.
Monday, October 18th – Poverty Simulation @ St. Augustine Church in Jeffersonville, IN from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Ideal for community members as well as organizations who serve and/or support individuals living in poverty. A great orientation to the issues for current and potential board members, staff, volunteers and funders. RSVP with Whitney at 812 206 7514.
Tuesday, October 19th – Budgeting/What’s Up? @ Community Action of Southern Indiana from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Join Deborah Williams with PNC Bank as she conducts a forum to discuss budgeting and savings strategies. RSVP with Community Action at 812 288 6451.
Wednesday, October 20th – Introduction to Home Ownership @ New Albany Housing Authority (300 Erni) in New Albany from 6:00 – 8:30 pm. Presented by HPI and NAHA. Topics include: Your credit & why it’s important, Managing your money, Goal setting and an introduction to the world of mortgage. No RSVP required. Just come and enjoy the refreshments and possibley win one of our door prizes!
Thursday, October 21st – Have a Debt Free Holiday – How to Give More for Less @ Community Action of Southern Indiana in Jeffersonville from 6:00 – 7:30. Save hundreds of dollars this holiday season with tips, tricks and gift ideas that will keep your holidays happy and free from debt! RSVP with Whitney @ 812 206 7514.
Download a .pdf flyer here and distribute to your networks. We’d love to see you at one of these informative and fun events.
Through the generous sponsorship of PNC Bank, the partners and members of the Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition and Purdue Extension are bringing a unique and life-changing experience to Jeffersonville on Monday, October 18, 2010 as a kick-off to Money Smart Week.
What is poverty?
Can you survive a month in poverty?
The economic downturn has put many people out of work and boosted the use of emergency food pantries. But it is difficult to truly understand poverty unless you experience it every day. Purdue Extension, PNC Bank and the Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition invite you to walk a mile in the shoes of those facing poverty. As co-sponsors, they are presenting a poverty simulation designed to create a broader awareness of the realities of poverty for policymakers, community leaders, non-profit board members, staff and volunteers, and others who frequently deal with low-income families.
During the simulation, participants assume roles of families facing poverty. They must provide for basic necessities and shelter on a limited budget during the course of four 15-minute “weeks”. They interact with bill collectors, human service agencies, grocers, job interviewers, police officers, pawnbrokers and others.
After the simulation, facilitated discussion allows the group to take the experience even further, fostering understanding and giving insight into life in poverty.
Join us for an enlightening and informative experience. Registration is free, but space is limited to 80 participants. Simulation will be held at St. Augustine Church at 315 E. Chestnut Street, Jeffersonville, Indiana. Simulation will begin at 8:30 and conclude by 11:30 a.m.
For more information, to volunteer or to RSVP, please contact:
Whitney Bishop, Executive Director
Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition
whitney@assetbuildingcoalition.org
812 206 7514
Best Volunteers in the World!
Our numbers are up for the 5th year in a row, which means that more families in Southern Indiana were able to take advantage of our free tax preparation services! This represented the work of about 110 talented and dedicated volunteers, 6,000+ hours of volunteer time and over 1.6 million dollars in tax refunds. Wow! The final results are still coming in but I couldn’t wait to share these initial reports.
Special thanks to our partners at AARP and the IRS as well as to our host sites throughout the community. Community Action of Southern Indiana, Your Community Bank, Interfaith Community Council, Scott County Partnership, New Washington State Bank, Harrison County Community Services, Charlestown, Clarksville, Henryville & Sellersburg Libraries, American Legion Post 28 and Hillview Apartments.
Special thanks to the Metro United Way, Indiana Association of United Ways, Wal Mart Foundation, New Washington State Bank and Community Action of Southern Indiana for providing funding to support this meaningful work!
Look for stories from tax season and our final numbers in the weeks ahead.
We are committed to keeping these services free and available – donations always accepted! Click the donate now button on the front page of our website to pledge your support for free tax prep, financial counseling & financial coaching in Southern Indiana.
Opening a new “VITA” site in Scott County for FREE Income Tax preparation for Local Families that Qualify.
The Southern Indiana Asset Building Coalition Building and Scott County Partnership have decided to open a second (VITA) Voluntary Income Tax Assistance site here in Scott County. This program is for low income families and the elderly of Scott County. The VITA program is administered by the Internal Revenue Service to give taxpayers with household incomes under $48,000 per year the opportunity to receive FREE tax information and assistance in electronic filing of their Federal and Indiana tax returns for 2009. This IS NOT a rapid refund program.
All income tax returns will be prepared by a VITA program volunteer from our community. Each volunteer has completed the IRS-required tax training and successfully passed the IRS certification exams. An IRS-trained supervisor will be present at all times.
An appointment is required for this service. Please call (812) 752-5800 to schedule an appointment. Dates and times of service is as follows: March 5, March 12, March 13, March 19, March 26, March 27, April 2, and April 9, from 9:00a.m to 12:00p.m. on Friday’s and 9:00am to 11:00am on Saturday’s. The Second Scott County “VITA” site is located at the New Washington State Bank, 1770 West McClain Avenue, Scottsburg, Indiana.
This program is open to eligible residents of Scott County that meet the income guidelines of $48,000 or less per household and will be filing the following Federal Income Tax Forms: *Form 1040EZ, *1040A and *Form 1040 (including Schedule A and B only), with a filing status of Single, Married Filing Joint, Head of Household, Surviving Spouse. Earned Income Credit (EIC), Credit for Child and Dependant care expenses, Child Tax Credit and Form 8812 (for additional child tax credit), Education Credit (Hope Scholarship Credit and Lifetime learning Credit). Simple Itemized Deductions (interest, taxes, cash or check charitable contributions only, union dues). Capital Gains can be processed if the capital gain is reported on box 1, 2a, and 4 on Form 1099-DIV and no Schedule D is required. The Indiana State Tax Forms *IT-40EZ and *IT-40 (including Renter’s Deduction).
Proper documents are required at the scheduled appointment:
The types of Federal Income Tax Returns CANNOT be processed with VITA program: Filing status of Married Filing Separately, Business Income, Rental Income, Certain Itemized Deductions (medical/dental expenses, casualty and theft losses, non-cash/non-check charitable contributions), Estimated taxes, IRA deductions (if partially taxable and partially non-taxable), Income tax returns prior to the 2008 tax year, any tax items relating to Schedules C, D, E, and/or F, tax payers and/or dependants that do not have Social Security Numbers or one that begins with the digits of “900”. Indiana State returns for non-residents (either part or full year non-resident or reciprocal non-resident).
