Just File It!
Free tax preparation software provided to credit unions for their
members
Agenda
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JFI information for tax filers
JFI implementation at your credit union
VITA
Contacts
Information for Tax Filers
Just file it! I-CAN! E-FILE
www.icanefile.org
I-CAN! E-File was created by the Legal Aid Society of Orange
County (California) to help individuals complete their federal tax
forms and claim EITC without being charged excessive fees.
(Adobe Reader is needed. Download is available free of charge online.)
– How does it work?
• Go to the credit union homepage and click on the Just file it! We’ll help. icon which goes
directly to the I-CAN! E-File site.
• Taxpayers can access I-CAN! E-File via the Internet from their home, a library, a partner
site or any other location with an Internet connection and a printer.
• Taxpayers go through a series of secure web pages and input answers to simple,
interactive questions in English or Spanish.
• Once all of the questions have been answered, the information is compiled and placed
on federal and/or state tax forms that can be e-filed or printed and mailed in.
• It is similar to other popular tax filing software except it is completely free to use.
What tax information is needed to file?
• Social Security number
• Spouse’s and children’s names as they appear on the Social Security card
and their Social Security numbers
• All forms that show the income you received in the past year including:
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W-2s from employment for filer, spouse if filing jointly and children
Bank statements which show interest earned on deposits
1098Ts which list educational expenses
Unemployment statements
• Child care information:
– Name, phone number and address of child care facility or individual
– Amount paid during the year for child care
– Federal taxpayer identification number or Social Security number of facility or
individual
– Whether or not employer pays part of the child care
Steps in the filing process
• Create an account with Name and Social Security Number or Tax
Identification Number
• Answer questions for federal and state return
• Print and review return to make sure it is complete and correct
• Mail or e-file return. Note: If e-filed the e-file status will be "Pending".
• If e-filed return:
• Come back to www.icanefile.org in 2-3 days and click on "Check My E-file
Status" on the right.
• If your status is "Rejected", the I-CAN! E-file status page correct the return and
e-file again.
• Once the status is "Accepted", the tax return has been filed with the IRS and
state of Michigan.
• Click the link on the right sidebar under "Where's my refund?" to track your
federal and/or state refund.
• YOUR TAX RETURN IS NOT FILED UNTIL YOUR E-FILE STATUS IS "ACCEPTED“
• If status is "pending" or "rejected" your return has not yet been filed with the
IRS
E-Filing
• Electronic filing is available to taxpayers using I-CAN! E-File if
those individuals have their own email account.
• E-filing allows returns to be processed quickly. Projections
are that these returns and credit will be deposited within 10
days.
• E-filed returns are directly deposited into credit union
accounts so E-filers must have the credit union routing
number and their personal share or draft account number.
Federal Forms and Worksheets that I-CAN! E-File can complete
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1040-EZ Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents
1040A US Individual Income Tax Return
1040 US Individual Income Tax Return
Schedule A Itemized Deductions
Schedule B Interest and Ordinary Dividends
Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business
Schedule C-EZ Net Profit From Business
Schedule D Capital Gains and Losses
Schedule D-1 Continuation Sheet for Schedule D
Schedule E Supplemental Income and Loss
Schedule EIC Earned Income Credit
Schedule L Standard Deduction for Certain Filers
Schedule M Making Work Pay Credit (1040 and 1040A)
Schedule R Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled
Schedule SE Self-employment tax
Form 982 Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of
Indebtedness
Form 2106 Employee Business Expenses
Form 2441 Child and Dependent Care
Form 3903 Moving Expenses
Form 4137 Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip
Income
Form 4562 Depreciation and Amortization
Form 4684 Casualties and Thefts
Form 4868 Automatic 6-Month Filing Extension
Form 5329 Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (Including IRAs) and
Other Tax-Favored Accounts
Form 5405 First Time Home Buyer Credit
Form 5695 Residential Energy Credits
Form 6251 Alternative Minimum Tax (1040)
Form 8283 Noncash Charitable Contribution
Form 8812 Additional Child Tax Credit
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Form 8814 Parents' Election to Report Child's Interest and
Dividends
Form 8829 Expenses for Business Use of Your Home
Form 8862 Information To Claim Earned Income Credit After
Disallowance
Form 8863 Education Credits (American Opportunity Credit
and Lifetime Learning Credit)
Form 8880 Credit for Qualified Retirement Savings
Contributions
Form 8888 Direct deposit into multiple accounts
Form 8889 Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
Form 8917 Tuition and Fees Deduction
Form 6251 Alternative Minimum Tax
Form 1040-V Payment voucher
Making Work Pay Credit (1040-EZ)
EIC Worksheet A or B
EIC Investment Income
Child Tax Credit Worksheet
Standard Deduction Worksheet
Student Loan Interest Worksheet
Social Security Benefits Worksheet
IRA Deduction Worksheet
Pensions and Annuities Simplified Method Worksheet
Qualified Mortgage Worksheet
Capital Loss Carryover Worksheet (Sch D)
28% Rate Gain worksheet (Sch D)
Unrecaptured Section 1250 Gain (Sch D)
Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax (Sch D)
Schedule D Tax (Sch D)
Tax Computation (Sch D)
Alternative Minimum Tax (1040A)
Michigan Forms and Worksheets that I-Can E-File can Complete
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MI-1040 Michigan Individual Income Tax
Return
MI-1040 Schedule 1 & 2
MI-1040CR Michigan Homestead Property
Tax Credit Claim
MI-1040CR-2 Michigan Homestead Property
Tax Credit Claim For
MI-1040CR-7 Michigan Home Heating Credit
Claim
Schedule CT Michigan College Tuition and
Fees Credit
Schedule W
MI-4642 Michigan Voluntary Contributions
Schedule
MI-1040v Payment voucher
Form 4 Application for Extension of Time to
File Michigan Tax Returns
Worksheets: Use Tax Worksheet, Worksheet
2 Filer eligible to be claimed as a dependent
Credits and Deductions
Federal Credits
Federal Deductions
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Making Work Pay
Earned income credit
Child tax credit
Additional child tax credit
Child and dependent care credit
Education credits (American
Opportunity Credit and Lifetime
Learning Credit)
First-Time Homebuyer
Credit for the elderly and disabled
Savers credit
Advance tax payments
Excess social security and Tier 1
RRTA tax withheld
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Standard deduction (with additional property tax
and vehicle sales tax deductions)
Itemized deductions (including casualties and
thefts, noncash charitable contributions, the
qualified mortgage insurance premium deduction,
and employee business expenses)
Exemption for dependents, seniors and the blind
Business expenses (including expenses for business
use of the home, vehicle expenses, and
depreciation)
Self-employed health insurance deduction
IRA deduction
Tuition and fees deduction
Student loan interest deduction
Deduction for alimony paid
Deduction for penalty on early withdrawal of
savings
Educator expenses
Health savings account contribution deduction
Moving expenses
Credits and Deductions
Michigan Specific Credits
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College tuition and fees credit
Community foundation credit
Home heating credit
Homeless shelter/food bank credit
Homestead property tax credit
Homestead property tax credit for
veterans and blind people
Income tax paid to Michigan cities
Michigan earned income tax credit
Public contributions credit
Vehicle donation credit
Michigan Specific Deductions
• Dividend/interest/capital
gains deduction for seniors
• Michigan education savings
program deduction
• Pension and annuity
exclusion
Because of the scope of I-CAN! E-File, you
should NOT use it if:
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You do NOT have Social Security Numbers (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)
that allow you to work in the U.S.
You have lived and/or worked in more than one state during the year (if you are filing your state
return)
Your home address or your employer's address is in another country (including Mexico and Canada)
You (or your spouse if filing together) own a business
You (or your spouse if filing together) individually have more than one source of statutory income
(W-2 Box 13) or nonemployee income (1099-MISC Box 7)
You (or your spouse if filing together) are in the military
You have an agreement to split credits, deductions or exemptions for your dependents with
someone else
You are disabled and you think you may be eligible to claim a deduction for care provided to you so
your spouse could work (or vice versa)
You received non-gaming tribal revenue
You are a church employee or clergy member
You received dependent care benefits
You have a long-term care insurance contract
You have a SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) or SIMPLE (Savings Incentive Match Plan for
Employees of Small Employers)
Income Limitations of I-Can E-File
Because of the scope of I-CAN!® E-File, you should NOT use it if you have
income from any of the following this year:
• Capital gains or loss
• Farm income, Rental income, Barter income
• Bonds, Treasury bills
• A child's interest or dividends (unless it is the Alaska Permanent Fund
Dividend and the child is under age 14 at the end of 2009)
• IRA lump sum or rolling distributions
• You (or your spouse if filing together) received one or more 1099-R's with
a distribution code OTHER THAN 1, 1&8, 2, 2&8, 3, 4, 4&G, 7, 8 or G
• On a 1099-R (Pension, Annuity or IRA) if the distribution code is 1, 1&8, 2
or 2&8, I-CAN!® E-File will calculate an additional tax (10 % penalty on the
taxable amount) on the early withdrawal that will appear on line 60 of
Form 1040.
Helpful Tips
• Have ALL of tax documents before e-filing to
speed up the filing process
• In I-CAN! E-file you can "Save and Exit"
• Once taxes are e-filed, information cannot be
changed
• Once the return is accepted, taxes cannot be efiled again
• If returns need to be amended I-CAN! E-File
cannot be used
Just file it! We can help. I-Can E-File
Launch Date : January 14, 2011
Go to www.icanefile.org to learn more
Information for
Participating Credit Unions
Just File It!
• Nearly 125 Credit Unions enrolled to participate as
Just File It! Partners for the 2009 tax filing season
• Over $13.5 million was returned to Michigan tax
payers who used Just file it! through a local credit
union
Just file it! Timeline
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After the webinar
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MCUL will email credit unions a link to the Just file it! marketing materials (includes
posters, teller tents, statement stuffers, press release, and newsletter fodder) found on
MCUL’s website to use in promoting Just file it! to members
– Staff can review the Just file it! demo for help in understanding the program. Link is sent
via e-mail by MCUL.
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Late December/early January
– MCUL will send instructions to put Just file it! on the credit union homepage
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It includes a user name and password to access the MCUL website
From the MCUL website, credit unions get the code to add the Just file it! credit union-specific link to your
credit union website . Your Partner ID is embedded in this link we provide you. This is how you can track your
progress.
To allow members easy access to Just file it! place the link on the credit union homepage
January 14, 2011
– The launch date for the Just file it! is January 14, 2011. Credit union specific links will be
activated that day.
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Late January/Early February
– Credit unions will receive information to access the Taxpayer Reports
– Reports contain how many people filed their taxes using the link on your website and
the dollar amounts of the credits and refunds.
Tracking Your Outreach Efforts
• I-CAN! E-File provides real time usage
information tracked by partner.
– Number of filers
– Amount returned broken down by federal and state
– You will have an I-CAN! E-File Partner ID number
– This ID number is embedded in the link that the MCUL will send you
to put Just File It! on your homepage.
– When a user completes their tax return with I-CAN! E-File, the totals
of their tax dollars are added to the totals under your credit
union/program name. You will also see how many filers used your
site to file their taxes. Instructions to access these “Taxpayer
Reports” will be sent to you by the MCUL. You will be directed to the
I-CAN! E-File site to access these Reports.
Promoting Just file it!
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Publicize the availability and success of the program in your newsletters, statement
stuffers and press releases to increase use
Set up a computer kiosk and printer in a branch lobby for members without online
access at home to file their taxes
Just file it! can also be used by non-members
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Partner with a local college or library to designate days and times for their computers to be used for Just
file it! by the community
Work with organizations in the community to further promote use of Just file it!
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VITA sites
Local United Way
Community Action Agencies
Neighborhood organizations
Local colleges
Please let MCUL know the creative and successful ways credit unions promote Just file it!
Just file it! Website
• Materials ready to download and use
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Posters
teller tents
newsletter articles
statement stuffers
all designed to help promote the Just file it! to members and
within the community
http://www.mcul.org/client/MCUL/Community_Reinvestment_Initiative/About_CRI/JFI/marketing_promo.php
VITA
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
• One-on-One hands on free tax preparation for
low-income individuals
• Tax preparer’s are volunteers who must pass
IRS testing to participate
• Sites located throughout Michigan
VITA Resources
How to find free tax preparation services
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Call 2-1-1
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http://www.michiganeic.org/freetaxprep
Contact Information
• Stacy Dugan
– Michigan Credit Union League
– 1-800-262-6285 Ext. 458 or stacy.dugan@mcul.org
• Kathryn Hall
• Michigan Credit Union League
• 1-800-262-6285 Ext. 470 or kathryn.hall@mcul.org