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Front Row, L-R: Lisa
Schmitt, Nancy DeWitt, Volunteer Coordinator Karen Chamberlain, and Edla
Reynolds.
Back Row, L-R: Bryan
Caldwell, William Hamlin, Thomas Hanrahan, David Mercer, and Stephen Crandall.
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The Office for the Aging Tax Counseling for the Elderly
(TCE) program helped 549 seniors in Allegany County file their 2018 taxes
bringing in $250,000 in refunds thanks to the dedication of Tax Leader and Instructor
Bryan Caldwell and Tax Counselors Lisa Schmitt, Thomas Hanrahan, William
Hamlin, Stephen Crandall, Nancy DeWitt, David Mercer, and Edla Reynolds.
Free appointments were offered at the Crossroads Center in
Belmont every Monday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from February 8 to April
15. Walk-ins were accepted on scheduled
days at the Bolivar Luncheon Center and the Wellsville YMCA.
The IRS reviewed the program twice this year for Quality
Site Requirements and Volunteer Standards of Conduct. The Volunteers and program received a score
of 100%, meeting all the requirements.
The IRS noted that there was not a single rejected return and production
was up over 22%. They also commented on
the fact that the quality of the program was unmatched and all Volunteers took
extra time to explain all the paperwork to the taxpayers they assisted.
This program is offered in conjunction with the Internal
Revenue Service and AARP. In
preparation for the tax year, Mr. Caldwell attends a two-day training offered
by AARP, the Internal Revenue Service, and the NYS Department of Taxation and
Finance. He then provides six days of
training to OFA Tax Counselors in January.
All Tax Counselors are required to pass tests on Standards of Conduct,
Intake/Interview and Quality Review, and Advanced Tax Certification Levels. If
you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Tax Volunteer, please call Karen
Chamberlain, Volunteer Coordinator, in November 2019 at 585-268-9390.
