Ohio Benefit Bank
Did you know that more than $1.6 billion in tax credits
and public benefits are not claimed every year by eligible Ohioans, and
more than 95% of these unclaimed funds are federal dollars? If
claimed, these funds would provide economic help for eligible Ohioans
and economic development for local communities where the funds would be
spent.
 To
help eligible Ohioans claim tax credits and public benefits, a new initiative called The Ohio Benefit
Bank (OBB) has been adopted. The OBB is a web-based, counselor-assisted
program that connects low and moderate-income Ohioans with free income
tax preparation and access to potential public benefits.
The OBB is offered in a public-private partnership between the  Office of Governor Ted Strickland, Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks, and more than 400 faith-based and community organzations across Ohio that sponsor hundresds of OBB sites.
In Williams County, United Way of Williams County serves as the umbrella organization. Those in need are matched with local volunteer counselors who can help prepare their taxes and help them access work supports such as food stamps, health insurance, HEAP, and more. View our OBB screen cast to learn more about how this program is implemented locally.
The
OBB takes numerous, complex and lengthy tax and benefits forms and
reduces them to simple, easy-to-understand questions written at a
fourth-grade level. At OBB sites, trained counselors
guide clients through questions seeking information needed for tax
returns and to project eligibility for work support tax credits and
public benefits. Individuals sit side-by-side with counselors who
assist them with entering information into an internet-based system. Once
an OBB client provides all necessary information, the answers to the
questions posed by the counselor populate the fields in the appropriate
tax and benefits forms. The results are legible, accurate tax returns and benefits forms ready for submission to the appropriate government agency.
We are in need of volunteer counselors to ensure that this program will continue in Williams County. To become an OBB Volunteer, visit Volunteer Solutions and search for "tax counselor."
To learn more about the OBB, click here .
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