New York — Johnette Hartnett, director of public policy for the National Disability Institute spoke at The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions' financial literacy day last month about her work touring the country to provide financial literacy to the disabled.
"Lately there's been a lot of talk about main street, but I represent backstreet and I think all of you do too," Hartnett said.
Hartnett spent time touring 62 cities across the United States on a "Real Economic Impact Tour" to provide tax and financial services to people with disabilities through existing volunteer income tax assistance sites.
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On the tour in 2008, Hartnett and said they prepared 90,653 tax returns for people with disabilities and their families and received $81,000,000 in refunds. In 2005, on the first tour, they prepared 7,600 tax returns and received $6,840,000 in refunds.
In May 2007, the IRS and Stakeholder, Partnership, Education and Communication completed a benchmark study and found that there are 5.5 million taxpayers filing a return with a disability between the ages of 18 and 59. Additionally, the study found that there are 1.3 -1.6 million people with a disability that work and do not file a tax return.
Hartnett also conducted a volunteer income tax assistance and financial education study that offered financial counseling to working-age adults with disabilities. The counseling was offered to 46 people that all had experience significant disabilities and 51% had a significant mental illness.
Hartnett found that the counseling produced positive changes in the individuals financial position and found that those who accessed credit counseling saw a 12% increase in their savings.
In the future, Hartnett said she is working on an initiative called BEST Projects, which involves getting financial institutions to build customized services and products for people with disabilities.
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