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<h1>Taxpayer<br />Assistance<br />Center<br />(TAC)</h1>
<h3>Preparation</h3>
<p>CRA-NC VITA Sites serve more than 1000 greater Durham residents each year, answering tax questions and preparing returns at no cost. Fulfilling the CRA-NC mission, these VITA sites save the tax filer an average of $250, and additionally prevents acceptance of high-cost Refund Anticipation Loans and Refund Anticipation Checks. It also decreases income tax fraud and ensures that eligible families claim and receive any tax credits due, such as the Earned Income, Education, and Child Tax credits.</p>
<h3>Education</h3>
<p>Whether through the use of educational videos, radio public service announcements, distribution of written materials such as brochures and flyers, or traditional workshop formats, CRA-NC offers individuals information regarding their financial well-being, rights, responsibilities, and options as taxpayers, and their role in impacting the decisions of financial institutions. Our community education is designed to evoke change in individual financial decisions, so that real change can occur in promoting their collective community wealth.</p>
<h3>Controversy</h3>
<p>In partnership with North Carolina Central University, CRA-NC has applied to the IRS for funding to operate under its LITC (Low Income Taxpayer Clinic) program, which encompasses tax controversy services - a natural progression from initial VITA services. Through this program, households earning less than the IRS stated income limit have access to follow-up tax and legal services at no or little cost. This allows the low-income tax filer to rectify any past reporting issues and settle any outstanding taxes and/or fines with the IRS.</p>
<p>Once tax filers have rectified these past issues, they are able to move forward on more stable financial footing.</p>
<h3>Advocacy</h3>
<p>The TAC conducts anonymous testing of practicing preparers and financial lending institutions impacting the finances of regional households, and where necessary, organizes the community in actions to correct any practices deemed corrupt. The TAC also serves as a training and testing site for new tax preparers and LITC outreach/controversy volunteers to ensure a competent, compliant workforce serving the community. Using real case studies from the VITA site and LITC, with in-depth research conducted in-house, CRA-NC informs its policy decisions.</p>  
<p>Through these combined advocacy activities, the public has an opportunity not only to participate in the advocacy itself, but to collectively benefit from its successes.</p>