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Ashtabula County Families Are Missing Out On Help They Can Receive
Each year more than $1.6 billion in tax credits and public benefits go unclaimed by families in Ohio.
More than 95% of these are federal funds that do not come to Ohio
families unless claims are made. When claimed, these funds can have a
significant positive impact on the finances of families and on the
local economy.
The
Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is a web-based computer program that helps low
and moderate-income families find tax credits and public benefits for
which they may be eligible due of their low income. Some of
those benefits are:
-WIC
-Free and reduced school meals
-Food stamps
-Home heating assistance
-Medicaid
-Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Additionally,
the Ohio Benefit Bank will file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal
Student Aid) for families who have a college or college bound student
in the household.
The
Ohio Benefit Bank has assisted families in claiming over $100 million
in tax credits and benefits, most of which are spent in local
communities.
We need to provide the services of the Ohio Benefit Bank to more Ashtabula County families. Your
organization or church can help Ashtabula County low income families
improve their financial standing and bring additional dollars into our
local economy by becoming an Ohio Benefit Bank site and by recruiting
volunteers or staff to serve as Benefit Bank counselors.
Becoming An Ohio Benefit Bank Site
To become an Ohio Benefit Bank site you will need the following:
-A computer
-A printer
-Internet access
-Volunteers or staff with a desire to help local families
The internet-based software
and training are provided free of charge to organizations and
churches interested in becoming an Ohio Benefit Bank site.
Trained Benefit Bank
counselors will know how to enter family financial and other data into
the software. The software indicates which services are available to
the family and it will automatically begin the application process for
the family. It only takes a little time to enter the data for a family
but the potential positive impact on the family can be significant.
A separate training will enable counselors
to file tax returns for families making less than $56,000. The tax
return software automatically searches for tax deductions and
credits . Volunteers can choose to help families with benefits only,
taxes only, or both.
Training
dates for the Ohio Benefit Bank are the third Friday of every month
(unless otherwise noted). Pre-registration is mandatory. If you wish to
become an Ohio Benefit Bank site or Benefit Bank Counselor contact Tara Pavlovcak at the United Way (440)998-4141 or mailto:tarapavlovcak@unitedwayashtabula.org
Please don’t forget to ask about Ohio Benefit Bank Tax training!*
*If
you are already an OBB tax counselor, you do not need to train again in
person. All existing tax counselors and counselors who train prior to
the beginning of tax season, will be required to complete a one-hour
tax update webinar.
The Ohio Benefit Bank is offered in a public-private partnership between the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks, and more than 850 faith-based and community organzations across Ohio that sponsor hundreds of Ohio Benefit Bank sites.
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