Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes

Conference Call
June 16, 2004

Present:

• David Cain
• Robin Gausebeck
• Richard Greenberg
• Lawrence Lexow
• Leslie Malcolmson
• Joseph Meissner
• Robert Meldman
• Dick Murphy
• Teresa Smedley, Chair

Absent:

• James Abraham
• Delford Jones

Staff Present

• Mary Ann Delzer, Program Analyst
• Richard Morris, DFO
• Patti Robb, Note-taker

Welcome / Review Agenda
Dan Drumel resigned due to a family member’s health. It is effective immediately.

Roll Call
Nine members present. Quorum met.

Announcements / Approve Minutes
Smedley announced that the committee needs to start working on their portion of the next annual report at the July meeting. She will try to have an outline done for the face-to-face meeting. Please be prepared to give input in Louisville. The Joint Committee meeting was Tuesday, June 15, 2004. They are looking at taking our “What’s On TAP” nationwide. We will need to put the TAP communication strategy on our July agenda. The Joint Committee is going to finalize it and send it out for all the committees to implement soon.

Public Input
None

Discussion of Issues
· Lien Desk Recording – Cain
Cain wrote up a draft report. The lien desk is being centralized.
ACTION: Cain to forward draft Lien Desk report to Delzer. Final report to be completed for July meeting.

· FICA/Medicare Claims – Malcolmson
Nothing new to report, as need to complete some additional research before the report is finalized for the July meeting.
ACTION: Malcolmson will complete FICA/Medicare report for July meeting.

· Married Filing Separate – Meissner
When married people file separately, the returns are checked against each other if there is an income discrepancy. This is actually controllable by the taxpayer by 1) reporting 1099 income on the return with the controlling SSN, 2) ensure they both file and list their spouse’s SSN, and 3) not an overwhelming problem as taxpayer can respond with the required information. This issue is the taxpayers, not the IRS. Meissner will be sending a report through the subcommittee and then to Area 4.
ACTION: Meissner will complete Married Filing Separate report for July meeting.

· W-4 – Cain
There is a SBSE Payroll Issue committee meeting in Chicago on July 16-17. Greenberg and Smedley will attend this meeting to represent Area 4.
ACTION: Greenberg and Smedley to report on SBSE Payroll meeting results at July meeting.

· VITA Training – Greenberg and Malcolmson
Abraham, Greenberg and Malcolmson attended a meeting on VITA test/retest redesign in Atlanta. There were eight people who participated including one representative from AARP and staff from SPEC. A final version of the tests is expected to be ready July 6, 2004. The materials will be available to the VITA/TCE volunteer managers by Thanksgiving. IRS acknowledged that last year there were great problems. It was a great meeting and IRS was very receptive to TAP and they were happy to broaden and expand the base of the work group. A web group is putting together a web site test to create an on-line self-test. That is scheduled to be complete by July 1. Are still polishing the product and will be having their final call on August 13. TAP really has been able to have an impact on the VITA/TCE program. Smedley said this accomplishment should definitely go in the Area 4 annual report.
ACTION: Abraham, Greenberg and Malcolmson to do draft report on VITA training for the Area 4 annual report.

Revisit Form 990 – Meissner
This issue was put in the parking lot after it was elevated to see what was implemented. Delzer and Meissner will discuss and report in July. To change a form is a massive undertaking.
ACTION: Delzer will contact Mr. Berger, AICPA, to get more information on his letter sent to IRS regarding the organization’s concerns about Form 990.

New Issues
· Corrected 1099s – Abraham
This issue will be carried over to the July meeting.

· Income Reporting for Day Care Aides - Malcolmson
Concern is that home based service workers, and day care workers, should be treated as employees, not self employed. This is a national problem. Malcolmson would like TAP to work the issues. Smedley mentioned the NTA recommended a change to the code – which is legislative. Smedley suggested Malcolmson send a letter of support to NTA that agrees with her proposal. Really is not a systemic issue for TAP as requires legislation.

· Delay of Correspondence – Murphy
Waiting on more research. Hope to have something by the July meeting. The MFS subcommittee will work on this issue too since that issue will be complete by the July meeting.

Outreach Report
Lexow wrote the introduction and exit paragraphs for the “What’s On TAP” articles. Need to complete the articles and give them as a package to Meldman to present at the JC meeting.
ACTION: Lexow to share introduction and exit paragraphs for “What’s on TAP.”
ACTION: Delzer to send Murphy’s Innocent Spouse article to Meldman.
ACTION: Malcolmson will write up report from VITA meeting and send to Meldman.

High School Tax Curriculum – Greenberg
Developed a thirty minute curriculum/speech on filing taxes for high school students. It has been very well received. Elaine Beck from SPEC is very interested in the program. The problem is that teachers have no time to add this to their teaching plan. VITA and TCE volunteers may be willing to take this to the schools, as they have nine months on down time. He will present this at the SBSE Schedule C Non-filer meeting as a recommendation to the IRS.
ACTION: Greenberg to write on article for “What’s on TAP” about the High School Curriculum program.

Murphy has been participating with a coalition working in his community promoting asset building and financial literacy. Meeting included presentations by IRS staff about VITA, EITC and Child tax credit. Murphy spoke about the work of TAP.

Office Report
Recruitment plan is to interview approximately 240 applicants to fill 48-49 spots. The interviews will take place the weeks of July 12, July 19, and July 26.
The next Area 4 meeting will be the face-to-face in Louisville, KY, July 27-28, 2004:

     Tuesday, July 27 – 8 am to 3 pm
     Wednesday, July 28 – 8 am to Noon.

Travel to the meeting is Monday, July 26. If you haven’t already contacted Robb about your travel, please do so. New travel regulations were implemented on June 1 and the flights have to be made thirty days in advance of the actual travel now.
Meeting adjourned.

Action Assignments

Abraham, Greenberg and Malcolmson to do draft report on VITA training for the Area 4 annual report.

Cain to forward draft Lien Desk report to Delzer. Final report to be completed for July meeting.

Delzer will contact Mr. Berger, AICPA, to get more information on his letter sent to IRS regarding the organization’s concerns about Form 990.
Delzer to send Murphy’s Innocent Spouse article to Meldman.

Greenberg and Smedley to report on SBSE Payroll meeting results at July meeting.
Greenberg to write on article for “What’s on TAP” about the High School Curriculum program.

Lexow to share introduction and exit paragraphs for “What’s on TAP.”

Malcolmson will complete FICA/Medicare report for July meeting.
Malcolmson will write up report from VITA meeting and send to Meldman.

Meissner will complete Married Filing Separate report for July meeting.