Eric Newman
RBS Card Services

“Living United means wearing multiple hats and rolling up one’s sleeves to reinvest in our community.  Utilizing my professional expertise as a CPA, I am able to share my accounting and finance knowledge with those in need.  I do this by working on the front line at the Burroughs Community Center during tax season as a volunteer income tax return preparer.   This has enabled me to share my tax law knowledge by helping low income families save on their taxes by getting tax refunds, and this past year, ensuring they got their share of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 tax rebate. 

Every tax return tells a story.  It tells stories of a year of prosperity, a marriage, a purchase of a house, the birth or adoption of a child, and a child who succeeded in the Bridgeport public schools system and is now attending college.  It also tells stories of hardships and challenges experienced from the loss of a job, a foreclosed house, an illness in the family, or the passing of a spouse. 

The VITA program mission is to provide free assistance to tax payers who may not have the financial means or understanding to file a complete and accurate tax return with the IRS and State of Connecticut.   Using the VITA program, a tax payer learns that they can take advantage of earned income tax credits, child tax credits, various educational credits, and learn that they are able to deduct certain medical expense.  VITA tax preparers are trained to go the extra mile with every tax return.   We inquire into any unreported income and search for additional qualifying deductions such as a safety deposit box, job search expenses, or non-reimbursed job related expenses.  In addition, we educate the taxpayer on record keeping strategies to track mileage they incur obtaining medical treatment or mileage related to volunteering at charity.   
 
To me, living united also means creating memories on a Sunday afternoon with the next generation of United Way supporters, my children, sorting clothes and building personal hygiene baskets for delivery to shelters or bringing a food basket, smiles and laughter to seniors in the community. “