Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Committee
Teleconference Meeting Minutes
May 1, 2007 12 PM – 1 PM ET

Designated Federal Official
Kayla Walker, Acting TAP Manager

Program Owner
Billy Hubbard, Territory Manager, Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC)

Committee Members Present
Paul Brubaker, Pennsylvania
Patricia Bryant, Tennessee
Emilio Cecchi, Maryland
Laura Criel, New Mexico
Paul Duquette, Chair, Wisconsin
Harvey Epstein, New Hampshire
Harold Gadon, Rhode Island
Hank Mosler, Florida
Ferd Schneider, Ohio

Members Absent
Sandra Bland, Minnesota (excused)
Elizabeth Colvin, Texas (excused)
Carolyn Hutchinson, North Carolina
Richard Rousseau, Texas (excused)
Donna Tremblay, Georgia

TAP Staff
Barbara Toy, Program Analyst
Patti Robb, Note Taker

Visitor
Barbara DelBene, National Community Center for Progress
Steve Swartz, TAS, Lanham, MD

Welcome
Paul Duquette welcomed everyone to the May meeting. 

Roll Call
Quorum met.

Review Agenda / Approve Minutes
Duquette said seven members sent back the meeting survey after the April meeting.  He wanted to emphasize that the main purpose of the full committee meeting is to share information from the subcommittees and not to work the issues.  The subcommittees work the issues.  In addition, we need to try to stick to the agenda item at hand.  Please, no side conversations, use your mute button if available; don’t interrupt, and identify self before speaking.
ACTION:  Barbara Toy will send out April minutes for approval by email.

Program Owner’s Report
Billy Hubbard reported that overall the Volunteer Return Preparation Program (VRPP) went very well this year.  There were approximately 2.3 million tax returns completed and electronic filing increased for volunteer tax preparation this year.  The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) came in with a 56 percent quality rating this year; the Stakeholder Partnerships. Education and Communication (SPEC) internal quality review, which is more statistically valid since it is based on the number of returns filed, is at 64 percent.

Hubbard announced his intention to retire after the San Antonio face-to-face meeting.  He is recommending the VITA Program Owner be an executive as the work this committee does and the impact made, warrants executive support. 

Hal Gadon asked what criteria TIGTA uses for the quality review.  Hubbard responded, accurate tax returns.  It is based on scenarios and if the volunteer does not reach the set outcome, they fail the quality review.  Harvey Epstein asked if the quality rating is broken down between Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).  It is combined.  If the quality review information is available, it will be presented at the meeting in San Antonio.  TIGTA does not do a large number of visits, only 30, but SPEC has found a trend.  The volunteers who are making errors are not following the quality review process and are not using the intake sheets.  Volunteers are not turning the sheet over and consequently miss some basic income information.   Using this tool is important in producing a quality return. 

Agenda Topics
Subcommittee Reports:

E-filing
Pat Bryant reported the e-filing subcommittee did not have a meeting in April.  A list of ten recommendations was sent to all committee members for feedback and comments, but only two responses were received.  More input is needed from the full committee to complete the recommendation.
ACTION:  Pat Bryant will send the e-file recommendations to the full committee again.
ACTION:  All members should review the e-filing draft recommendation and send comments to Pat Bryant.   

Branding
Emilio Cecchi reported the subcommittee members exchanged notes from their last meeting and all the information was sent to the full committee.  Elizabeth Colvin summarized the meeting and the committee’s thoughts and sent out to subcommittee after the meeting.  A discussion of this summary will be put on the agenda to be discussed in San Antonio.  Duquette will follow-up with Elizabeth Colvin as to the next steps. 
ACTION:  Elizabeth Colvin’s summary on branding will be sent to the full committee.

Brubaker suggested the three subcommittees, E-filing, Branding, and Training, each have a folder on TAPSpace for information sharing.  Toy offered to post information in the folders on TAPSpace as only staff can add information there.
ACTION:  Barbara Toy will add the three subcommittee folders to TAPSpace and post relevant items to the folders as needed.   

Training
Brubaker sent an email to the full committee on April 1 asking for input regarding four specific training issues;

1. Student Guide / Workbook
2. Process Based Training (PBT)
3. Testing Materials
4. Resource Guide

Brubaker is trying to pull all the information he has received regarding training.  Based on the TIGTA review, it is evident that the quality review process needs to be a large part of the training.  There is still some concern but most agree with the 80 percent correct requirement for passing the test and becoming certified.  But, there was a concern expressed that because of the importance of preparing a quality return, the passing rate should be 100.  Another concern was raised that standard training did not teach the use of TaxWise.  The use of PBT increases most students’ knowledge of using the software; however, not all sites have computers available during training.  In addition, many sites emphasize the tax law portion to ensure students pass the certification tests rather than training them to use the software properly.  Another frustration is that information reporting forms are not standardized. Area 2 is working on a proposal on a requirement to standardize the format for information reporting forms.  Volunteers needed training on how and where to find the proper information need to prepare the tax return correctly. 

To date, Brubaker has not received much specific feedback or recommendations on the four issues.  Please look at the email again and get back to him with comments, feedback, and suggestions.  Brubaker asked that all comments and suggestions regarding training be sent to him by Friday, May 4, so he can consolidate for the subcommittee meeting.  Duquette suggested that all committee members who are interested attend the subcommittee meeting. 
ACTION:  Toy will send Brubaker’s email regarding the four subjects that the training subcommittee will focus on to the full committee for review. 

Brubaker said he would like to see the scenarios TIGTA used for it’s reviews.  The subcommittee can address where the errors occurred and emphasize these areas in the training and testing next year.

Face-to-Face Meeting
Mosler suggested adding a block of time to the agenda to discuss quality and the TIGTA quality review.  He would also like to see time allotted for a presentation on TaxWise.  Where is it going?  Brubaker noted that TaxWise requires a significant amount of data entry for information that is not required on a paper tax return.  Hubbard will check to see if a demonstration can be arranged.  Mosler said he also would like to have a discussion on upgrades to TaxWise and the use of TaxWise online, its successes and/or problems.  Bryant said a major concern of using TaxWise online is that there is no backup system for preparing returns if the connection is lost.  In addition, information cannot be carried forward to the next tax year which increases data entry time and also creates greater risk of error.
ACTION:  Duquette asked Mosler and/or anyone else who has suggestions for the agenda to put them in bullet point format and forward to Toy and him. 

Public Input
Steve Swartz said most of the volunteers he works with use TaxWise software and have problems linking of the charitable non-cash and the charitable mileage worksheets.  Has anyone else experienced these problems?  Hal Gadon said he had the same problem.

Barbara DelBene asked if the May 4 subcommittee meeting was open to public and was informed it was. 
ACTION:  Toy will forward all Training Subcommittee information to Barbara DelBene and Steve Swartz who are welcome to join all subcommittee calls. 

Meeting Adjourned
Next meeting, May 21-23, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas

All Members:
Review the e-filing draft recommendation and send comments to Pat Bryant. 

Mosler and/or anyone else who has suggestions for the agenda to put them in bullet point format and forward to Toy and Duquette. 

Pat Bryant
Send the e-file recommendations to the full committee again.

Barbara Toy
Send out April minutes for approval by email. : 
Send Elizabeth Colvin’s summary on branding to the full committee.
Send Brubaker’s email regarding the four subjects that the training subcommittee will focus on to the full committee for review. 
Forward all Training material information Barbara DelBene and Steve Swartz who are welcome to join all subcommittee calls. 

Previous Uncompleted Action Items:

• Paul Brubaker should include thoughts on including the Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates and Trusts, in volunteer training or recommending SPEC have written guidelines on how volunteers should disable the form.