Welcome to the Foundation Communities Stimulus Outreach Project. Here you will find the resources and instructions you need to help non-traditional filers complete their 2007 federal income taxes to receive their stimulus payments.

+About the Stimulus Outreach Project

+How you can help non-traditional filers

+Additional resources

+Instructions for completing the form

+Who can file this way?

+How Community Tax Centers can help

+Contact us

About the Stimulus Outreach Project

The Stimulus Outreach Project is coordinated through the Community Tax Centers, which is a project of Foundation Communities.

Foundation Communities is a nationally-recognized nonprofit organization that empowers low- and moderate-income families to succeed through quality affordable housing and tools to increase their educational and economic standing. Our mission is to create housing where families and individuals succeed.

This year, the Community Tax Centers are working on an outreach program to help non-traditional filers complete tax returns so they can receive the 2008 Economic Stimulus Payment. People who would normally not need to file taxes — such as recipients of SSA, SSDI and VA benefits — will have to complete a few simple lines on a special Form 1040A to be eligible to receive the Stimulus Payment.

+back to top

How You Can Help Reach Non-Traditional Filers

Please see the short PowerPoint presentation that explains who may need to file, how you can help them file and details about the payment. You may also click on the links to see the various forms.

A publicized tax preparation event followed by ongoing assistance will probably be the most efficient way to reach as many non-traditional filers as possible. This will not require a lot of extra effort or staff because each return only takes two minutes!

We recommend that your agency adopt this plan to host tax preparation workshops, schedule appointments, etc. as you see fit, so long as the clients have enough prior notice to gather their income statements.

+back to top

Links to additional resources

• PowerPoint: Help clients file taxes
  
  
• 1040A (PDF file) pages 1 and 2
  
  
• Instructions for filling out the special 1040A for stimulus payments
  
  
• Flowchart (Microsoft .doc) to determine the stimulus payment your clients will receive
  
  
• Disbursement schedule: Stimulus check mailing schedule
  
  
• Flier about the stimulus (PDF file) in English and Spanish to let your clients know that you can help them file their taxes
  
  
• Two-page IRS change of address Form 8822 (PDF file), in case some of your clients relocate before they receive their check
  
  
• IRS Form 1310 (PDF file): Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased Taxpayer, for survivors of deceased clients who filed a 2007 tax return.
  
  
• IRS Form 56, Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship for Guardians to file for incapacitated individuals
  
  
• Also, check out the IRS website for FAQs about the stimulus and other information.
  

+back to top

Instructions for completing the form

The special 1040A is a regular form 1040A from the IRS that has STIMULUS PAYMENT written across the top and the crucial items bordered with thick outlines to highlight the few necessary fields to complete (click here for instructions on filling out this form). Please note that this form is only for people who DO NOT HAVE traditional incomes such as wages from jobs, pensions, retirements, stocks etc.

It is important to ensure that your clients enter their correct information, so please double check what they have written.

1. Enter the client’s name, address and SSN. If they are filing jointly, enter the spouse’s information as well. In the Filing Status section, check single, married filing jointly, or married filing separately. (All others statuses must be referred to community tax centers or other assistance agencies).
   
   
2. Enter income in box 14a. Please write in the client’s total income (any combination of SSA/VA/SSDI benefits) for 2007. To do this, please verify their income from their SSA, SSDI, and/or VA benefit statements. If they only have a monthly statement, multiply the amount by twelve to get their yearly income. Please ensure that SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is not counted toward client income. If SSI income is used on line 14a to receive a stimulus payment, those clients will be required to pay back the payment they incorrectly received with interest and penalties. Again, SSI does not count towards the $3,000 minimum income required to receive a stimulus payment.
   
   
3. Check filing status. Clients not filing as single, married filing separately, or married filing jointly must be referred to other locations such as Community Tax Centers (Austin, TX), AARP or other local tax preparation centers, or local IRS offices.
   
   
4. (Optional) Enter the client’s routing number and bank account number if applicable.
   
   
5. Have the client sign and date the form, and include occupation and telephone number if applicable.
   
   
6. Double check that the form is complete and that the numbers (SSN and income) are correct. Ensure that the client (both clients if filing jointly) has signed the form. A fresh pair of eyes is always helpful in double checking the form.
   
   
7. Mail completed returns to the IRS by October 15, 2008 at:
   
   Internal Revenue Service
   Department of Treasury
   Austin, TX 73301
   
   For taxpayers outside the state of Texas, find out where to mail your tax return.

+back to top

Who can file this way?

This outreach is geared towards non-traditional filers only, so if your clients have other forms of income such as regular employment, retirement benefits, or pensions, please send them to one of our community tax centers if possible. In addition, clients who can claim dependents/exemptions (i.e. Children, Parents) should be referred as well. Our main location is open year round to answer questions.

Non-traditional filers who are only completing tax returns to receive a stimulus payment need to do so by October 15, 2008. This amount of time allows us to reach as many community groups as possible, and it allows you to reach as many of your clients as possible.

+back to top

How we can help

We greatly appreciate your help in assisting non-traditional filers to receive this stimulus income. We are concentrating our efforts on reaching those residencies and venues that are most likely to have contact with non-traditional filers. It is our hope that these resources will be all you need to help your clients file, but we do have a limited team of volunteers who may be able to come to your site to help if necessary. Please let us know if you have any questions about helping these populations receive their 2008 Economic Stimulus Payments.

+back to top

Year-Round Community Tax Center Schedule

(Horarios de los Centros Comunitarios de Impuestos- baja temporada)

Foundation Communities
3036 S. 1st St. (South of Oltorf-Al sur de Oltorf)
Austin, TX 78704

Bus # 10, 328

Contact us

stimuluspay[at]foundcom.org

512-215-1487

+back to top