Entering the Bermuda Triangle

Fellow VISTA Maureen and I spent a good portion of last week on the road, driving to various rural towns for tax clinics.

On each trip, we came to a point where our GPS went nutso. The arrow jumped off the road, making crazy dotted-line pattens off the grid in a field. It told us to turn left, then just as we approached the turn, the arrow jumped right and told us to turn right.

Whatever that was about, we finally made it to each location.

In Paulding (pictured above, at a senior center with sweet chessboard tables), I helped a couple who had already filed their taxes but felt like something was wrong about it. When I ran their information through the Benefit Bank, they were told they were due a federal refund of about $6,000! The return they actually filed was no where near that amount. Even the income dollar amount was off on that one. We couldn't file the OBB version since they had already filed, but they were very appreciative for the help and plan to file an ammended return.

Later that day, I helped a lady who was recently divorced and very nervous about handling her own finances again. I spent nearly four hours with her. We did federal, state and school district taxes as well as a FAFSA and a food stamp application. She kept saying thank you so much, thank you so much for taking the time to help me, that I was kind of getting embarrased. It was no big deal. But I feel good that I could take a weight off her shoulders. I hope everything works out for her.

The next day, in Bryan, I ran into some snags. After one successful tax return, I had a couple who ended up producing an obscure form the OBB can't handle so we had to quit in the middle.

Then just as the clinic was starting to wrap up, I had a lady come in who at first appeared to be the simplest client yet. Just one easy cheesy W-2. BUT, then we came to deductions and she decided to itemize. She was a truck driver, and we got a little bogged down in per diem rates and expenses. (She said she's on the road about 320 days of the year, wow!) We were on the phone with the IRS and the supervisor of the clinic and everyone was tearing down and cleaning up around us.

I felt bad for Maureen because we rode together and she was held up because of me, but we eventually figured it out. At least the truck driver lady was satisfied. I'm not completely convinced we did it right...but oh well.