FPA OCC Pro Bono / Community Outreach
Committee
Committee Chair: Julie M. Holmes-Grady, MBA, CPA, CFP®
GETTING INVOLVED - Giving vulnerable members of our communities a
helping hand by sharing our professional expertise — that's what pro bono
financial planning is all about. Throughout the country, FPA chapters are
working with community partners to assist those with the greatest need for
and the least access to the power of financial planning.
The FPA OCC Pro Bono Program targets underserved individuals and families
striving to build assets and improve their lives but cannot afford to engage a
planner on their own. We also outreach to
other populations in need to meet the
specific needs of our OC community.
Volunteering as an FPA OCC pro bono
planner is a great way to give back, build
professional skills and strengthen ties with
your community and fellow FPA OCC
members. Join our chapter's Pro
Bono/Community Outreach Committee
today or just let us know that you have an
interest in volunteering! Either way works
for us! Contact Committee Chair Julie
Holmes-Grady at jholmescpa@cox.net.
We would welcome your expertise and enthusiasm in becoming a part of our
active group of volunteers in the FPA OCC Pro Bono/Community Outreach
Committee; we always welcome new ideas and opportunities. Volunteers
are at the heart of our Committee's work – providing exceptional
experiences and essential tools to our vibrant community.
When you get involved you contribute your unique expertise to the
advancement of the financial planning profession, our chapter and
FPA as a national organization.
*****
CBO HIGHLIGHTS - I would like to take this opportunity to apprise you of
some of the Community-based Organization (CBO) volunteer opportunities
that are available to FPA OCC members here in Orange County.
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Pro Bono/Community Outreach Committee
As Chair of the FPA OCC Pro Bono / Community Outreach Committee, I
regularly participate in the Orange County Financial Stability Alliance (OC
FSA) meetings, and I have a particular interest in the OC FSA's Financial
Literacy Committee. Of course, if you have an interest, we would welcome
your participation!
The OC FSA is made up of a number of CBOs, such as Boys & Girls Club,
Working Wardrobe, and many others. The "umbrella" organizations who
oversee the OC FSA are the Orange County United Way and the Legal Aid
Society of Orange County.
Orange County United Way - this organization's mission is to build self-
sufficient lives for the health of our community. Natalie Bishop, Manager of
Financial Stability has provided an Executive Summary of OCUW's many
Orange County initiatives and we encourage you to take a look and learn
what they are doing in our OC community.
Additionally, OCUW has a "Volunteer Solutions" website in which they
encourage their agencies to post their own volunteer opportunities for others
to view, such as interested FPA OCC members! To search, use:
http://www.unitedwayoc.org/Volunteer/display.aspx?strContent=Volunteer
If you see any initiatives that spark your interest, please notify Julie Holmes-
Grady, FPA OCC Pro Bono/Community Outreach Chair at jholmescpa@cox.net. I
will be happy to connect you to a person within OCUW who can answer any
questions you might have or help you get involved where you feel a desire
to offer your expertise and enthusiasm.
Source: Natalie Bishop, Manager, Financial Stability, Orange County United Way
*********
Legal Aid Society of Orange County is busy fulfilling its stated mission "to
provide civil legal services to low-income individuals and to promote equal
access to the justice system through advocacy, legal counseling, innovative
self-help services, in-depth legal representation, economic development and
community education.” To help in these matters, the LASOC has developed
two tools that might of interest to you and/or any nonprofit organizations
with whom you work.
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Pro Bono/Community Outreach Committee
(1) College Wallet –
College Wallet is run and maintained by a nonprofit organization to help
college students (and their parents too!) get access to the best information
and resources around. On the College Wallet site, there is a wealth of
valuable information regarding tax preparation, financial aid, money saving
tips, and all kinds of student resources.
College Wallet is designed to provide students with all the tips, tricks, and
resources they need to be successful, both in college and in life. All the
information and links have been gathered for you, so you don't have to do
all the work. Refer to College Wallet as your one-stop college resource and
financial stop.
Free Tax Prep – Students (and their parents) need to file their taxes
before filling out the FAFSA. File both your Federal and State (CA, MI,
MT, NY & PA) tax returns for free using I-CAN! E-File. Get your refund
in as little as 8 days if you e-file and utilize direct deposit. You will
never see any charges or be surprised with any fees.
Financial Aid – Need some help with tuition? Apply for Financial Aid
and save yourself some money. College Wallet has put together a
simple list of things to know before applying for Financial Aid to ensure
that you have the information and documents necessary to fill out all
your forms quickly and accurately.
Student Resources – Get access to deals and information to help you
save money. College students can find resources and helpful links from
textbook rentals to student travel.
Save Money – Money skills and tools to aid students in taking charge
of their financial future including helpful information for those new to
banking such as beginner banking terms.
College Blog – Articles relevant to students from job search tips to
information about filing taxes.
Website: http://collegewallet.org/
Email: info@collegewallet.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeWallet
Twitter: @CollegeWallet or http://twitter.com/#!/CollegeWallet
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Pro Bono/Community Outreach Committee
(2) Library Tax Help -
Library Tax Help was developed to support both librarians and taxpayers
alike by providing them with access to valuable self-help tax preparation
information and resources. Librarians can use Library Tax Help as a
reference that offers taxpayers assistance through step-by-step tutorials, a
tax library, and other helpful materials.
Meet the Libraries – Learn more about libraries Library Tax Help
works with and how they have been implementing tax assistance into
their system with success.
Demo – To learn how to use I-CAN! E-File, access and try out the
2010 demo version.
How to Implement – Resources on how to implement I-CAN! E-File
in your library.
Tax Library – Have a tax question? The tax library is filled with
information about taxes, different credits, and more.
File Now – I-CAN! E-File offers a way for people to file their taxes and
qualify for every credit for free.
Downloads – Print materials to pass out to clients and watch videos
on how to help people utilize I-CAN! E-File.
Blog – Supplements the information found on Library Tax Help and
provides updates relevant to librarians and taxpayers alike. Features
posts on tax law updates, credits and eligibility, success stories, and a
great deal more.
Libraries provide the perfect access point for people to not only find the tax
information they need but also to provide access to self-help technology that
will aid them in filing their own tax returns. Libraries have been on the
frontline of providing access to information technology and teaching people
how to utilize technology to solve their questions and problems. Library Tax
Help provides librarians with information on how to best help taxpayers
access free self-help tax preparation. In these times of economic turmoil, it
has become increasingly important to help taxpayers claim the tax credits
they are eligible to receive and to provide an alternative to costly tax
preparation. Library Tax Help’s founding non-profit organization has worked
with libraries across the country for the past 5 years and was continuously
asked to develop an easy way to pass down information without the need to
2011 Mar‐April Newsletter Article v3 Page 4
Pro Bono/Community Outreach Committee
go through numerous channels. As a result, Library Tax Help was created to
pass information directly to those who oftentimes need it most.
Library Tax Help was developed with both librarians and taxpayers in mind.
Librarians can use Library Tax Help as a reference for patrons looking for
IRS booklets/forms or inquiring about options to e-file their taxes for free.
Library Tax Help offers an easy solution of which direction to point them.
From the Library Tax Help site, users can link directly to I-CAN! E-File, a free
self-help tax preparation module. The program is easy to use and was
written at a 5th grade literacy level. The user simply answers questions that
guide them through all the information necessary to complete their tax
forms. Once completed, the taxpayer has the option to e-file their completed
returns or to print and mail them.
If a taxpayer can use the Internet, they can use I-CAN! E-File. However,
even if a taxpayer has limited knowledge of computers, I-CAN! E-File is still
a relatively easy program for them to use with limited assistance. The
Library Tax Help site has step-by-step information on how to use the I-CAN!
E-File module and chat personnel is available should any need for additional
assistance arise.
Whether you’re a librarian looking for guidance on how to best assist
taxpayers in completing their tax returns at your library, or a taxpayer who
needs a little extra help navigating the oftentimes complex tax return
process, Library Tax Help will work hard to provide the information you
need.
Website: http://librarytaxhelp.com
Email: info@librarytaxhelp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Library-Tax-Help/125970687467839
Twitter: @LibraryTaxHelp or http://twitter.com/#!/LibraryTaxHelp
Source: Jill Smith, Community College & Library Liaison, Legal Aid Society of Orange County
*****
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Pro Bono/Community Outreach Committee
BRAG List - Please remember that if you do volunteer your time to any of
these (or other OC CBOs), please report your work at our new BRAG List
http://www.fpaocc.org/proBono.htm. By completing the data fields, you help
FPA OCC keep track of pro bono and other volunteer work within the OC
community as well as help FPA National maintain statistics for our
organization's national profile with the media.
*****
PRO BONO SURVEY QUESTION: As an FPA OCC pro bono volunteer,
would you be interested in establishing a relationship with an "underserved
person" over a 6-month period? Or perhaps a 1-year period?
I have been asked by a number of CBOs if we, the FPA OCC, would provide
volunteers to meet this community need. As Chair of the FPA OCC Pro
Bono/Community Outreach Committee, I need to get a feel from the FPA
OCC membership as to the time you would consider offering.
To help you in these matters, the FPA offers a free online financial
assessment tool for you to use which is accessible to both planners and their
pro bono clients. The system allows clients to participate in a financial
education tutorial via the Money 101* program from anywhere they have
Internet access.
While walking through the basics of banking, credit and budgeting, the client
is asked to enter their financial data, which is automatically compiled in to a
downloadable report highlighting common financial concerns. This same
report can be accessed by an FPA pro bono volunteer who can then provide
more in-depth assessment and advice.
The financial assessment system was developed to facilitate the meetings
(either online or face-to-face) and to promote progress in reaching the pro
bono client's financial goals.
Please notify me at jholmescpa@cox.net if you have an interest in establishing a
longer-term relationship with a pro bono client.
* Access to the Financial Assessment System is granted courtesy of the
Foundation for Financial Planning http://www.foundation‐finplan.org/ .
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