Building Trust and Supporting New Yorkers During Tax Season and Beyond

by Stephanie Kalele, Donor Relations Manager

Ron Schaum grew up distrustful of tax preparation services. He remembers how his father had to pay hundreds of dollars to the IRS because of a mistake by a big tax company. When the tax company refused to accept responsibility, Ron’s father had to hire a lawyer to seek redress. The company eventually paid for half of the money owed to the IRS. Nevertheless, the whole ordeal left a sense of wariness and stress every time Ron had to get his taxes prepared.

Last year, when Ron stumbled upon Urban Upbound’s free tax preparation services, he was skeptical about us. So he did some research. After some online searches, checking local media news, and verifying our legitimacy with the IRS, Ron felt sufficiently convinced of the quality of our services and visited the Urban Upbound tax office. It was September — Urban Upbound provides free tax preparation year-long — and after a smooth session with one of our expert tax professionals, Ron electronically filed his 2019 return. To his great surprise, one week later he received his refund.

Satisfied with his previous encounter with our team, Ron returned this season to file his 2020 taxes with us. This time, he visited our website uutax.org, which allowed him to safely submit his documents virtually, from home, and without the need for an in-person appointment. After receiving his submission, our tax team reviewed his documents and prepared his return. Having set up his bank account with the tax preparer, Ron was able to receive his returns in less than two weeks. Moreover, he was astonished when he received a refund nearly three times the amount of what he was used to receiving when filing elsewhere. Asked about his experience, Ron said: “It was a really painless and easy process. Everyone was always very pleasant, nice and polite”.

Urban Upbound continues to serve the families who need a hand-up during this difficult period. From help with their taxes and financial counseling to fresh food distribution and direct financial assistance, your donation makes it possible for us to keep reaching more New Yorkers. If you’d like to learn more about our impact and work, please follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube) or subscribe to our newsletter.