HAMILTON COUNTY TAX COUNSELORS: WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Western Hills High School will be hosting 2 Tax/FASFA clinics for college-bound seniors and their families. The anticipated attendance is around 100 students so they will need as many volunteers as possible to help fill out applications.

The dates are:

Friday, Feb. 3 from 8-6 pm

Saturday, Feb. 8 from 2-6 pm

The plan is for students to use the Self-Serve Benefit Bank to file their taxes and FAFSA in three computer labs around the school,  They will need at least two OBB counselors in each of the three labs at all times.  The counselors will help families if they get stuck or frustrated or have a question.  I have a small number of counselors signed up and church ladies will bring sandwiches and cookies to serve in the welcome unit for these clinics.

Western Hills High School hosts three college-prep programs:  Western University High School, Dater, and the Western Hills Engineering Program.  Many of these students will be the first in their family to attend college.  The tax return and FAFSA can be very daunting to many parents and this self-serve tax/FAFSA clinic is designed to make it far easier for families to complete their forms, with dignity and confidentiality, in time to access the widest pool of available financial aid.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Ariel Miller with the Episcopal Community Services Foundation in Cincinnati, OH at 513-221-0547 or e-mail her at huxleym@eos.net.

Need Tax Volunteers?

Attention, Ohio Benefit Bank sites:   

Would you be interested in receiving tax volunteer referrals from The Ohio Benefit Bank^TM to support your OBB tax services?

Click here to complete the survey.  

We will be promoting volunteer recruitment for The Ohio Benefit Bank statewide and look forward to targeting the volunteers you are looking for! Please take a moment to complete this short survey and tell us what you are looking for in volunteers to support OBB at your site.  

Click here to complete the survey. 

Thank you for all that you do!   

Please Join Us for our Tax Season Webinars!

Tax season is just around the corner and to prepare you for this exciting time we will be holding monthly informational webinars! Please see below for descriptions and to register for these upcoming webinars. Click here for more information on the webinar topics.

November 9th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

Connecting Financial Aid; Emergency Savings Accounts and Savings Bonds to Tax Season: 

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/268310514

December 14th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

Form 1099R, Child Tax Credit, EITC, Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit:

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/129215506

January 11th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

Tax Updates: 

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/573492346

February 8th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

Conversations to have with your tax client:

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/652333722

March 14th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

Incorporating Self-Serve Into Your Tax Services:

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/419745234

April 11th: (12:00 - 1:00 pm)

What Does OBB Asset Development Mean for My Clients, Staff, and Volunteers?

Registration Web Link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/960223610

2011 South West OBB Regional Meetings

Have you registered for one of South West's Regional Meetings yet?


Register now in Montgomery, Clermont or Pike County!


Montgomery County - Trotwood: register here

Clermont County - Batavia: register here

Pike County - Piketon: register here

We've added a Tax Kick-Off this year so that OBB sites can learn about the benefits of becoming a tax site. Hope to see you there!

File a Credit Card Complaint Online

As economic times get harder, credit card fraudulence is happening more frequently. Now people are needing to pay extra close attention to their credit card use and make sure they file a complaint as soon as they notice any suspicious activity. But not to worry, filing a complaint doesn't have to be a hassle anymore.

Now credit card complaints can be filed online at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website. The process is very user friendly and walks the applicant through a simple 5 step process. First, you describe what happened, followed by how you want things to be resolved now that you are filing a complaint. After that, you only need to enter your personal information along with your credit card information and review the form.

So don't wait until it's too late. With all the scams going on, it's important to keep an eye on your credit information regularly. And now if something were to happen, you'll know what to do.

The HATCH ACTuality of Voter Registration

As you all know, clients are able to register to vote using the Ohio Benefit Bank. But what some of you may not know is that it is okay and encouraged for your organization to offer voter registration. The reason behind this confusion for some of our OBB sites has been from a misinterpretation of the Hatch Act.

The Hatch Act of 1939 restricted the ability of federal, or civil service, employees to participate in partisan political life (53 Stat. 1147). The purpose being that no employee would attempt to sway their clients to vote one way or another. This act in NO WAY was meant to discourage organizations from promoting voter registration. In fact, if you visit http://www.ohvotes.org/, you'll see that it is encouraged that local nonprofits and agencies encourage their community to vote.

So remember, the Hatch Act of 1939 does not discourage organizations to offer voter registration. So give your community members a voice by helping them register to vote before this November 8, 2011 General Election!

Child Passenger Safety Week!!

The Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program

The Ohio Department of Health's child passenger safety (CPS) program, Ohio Buckles Buckeyes, provides child safety seats and booster seats to eligible low income families in all Ohio counties. The overall goal of this program is to increase the availability of child safety seats for families who could not otherwise afford them and to increase correct installation and proper use of child safety seats.

Through the coordinated efforts of a network of local and regional CPS coordinators, the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program distributes child safety seats and booster seats and provides CPS education. The Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program has distributed more than 17,000 child safety seats and booster seats to low income families in Ohio over the past five years.

Requirements for the Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program

In order to receive an Ohio Buckles Buckeyes seat, income eligible families* must attend an educational class provided by trained local CPS staff. In this session, the parent/caregiver(s) receives important education on how to properly use the car seat for their child, and they are instructed on how to correctly install the seat in their vehicle.

*income must be within WIC guidelines although recipient does not need to be enrolled in the WIC Program

For more information or to contact the program in your county, call 800-755-GROW (4769).