“The Latino community is a powerful, growing force in our country and its emphasis on our tax responsibility will strengthen our families and nation as a whole,” said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “Through education and access to bilingual, professional tax experts, we’re equipping our community with the tools it needs to prepare for the future.”
The campaign “Prepárate Para Un Futuro Mejor” (Prepare Yourself for a Better Future), during the 2016 tax season will provide free tax education workshops in 10 markets. These workshops emphasize the importance of building an accurate tax history and provide insight on how to protect against fraud and misinformation in the tax preparation process. The Q&A session helps address a variety of issues from claiming dependents, past tax returns, obtaining an ITIN, and small business.
“Taxes have an impact on many areas of life including citizenship, healthcare, college loans and even home ownership – it’s a building block to the future,” said Arce. “By ensuring that this large segment of the population is building that foundation, not only will we change the perception of the Latino community, but we’ll also solidify their role as contributors to the American economy.”
The latest projections from the U.S. Census Bureau expect the Latino population to reach 28.6 percent by 2060. The financial contributions of the Latino community have grown in pace with its population growth – buying power reached $1.5 trillion in 2015, according to Nielsen. Additionally, the U.S. Census estimates that Hispanic business-owners contribute more than $70 billion to the nation’s economy.
“When it comes to tax education, H&R Block is out in the community and understands the unique set of circumstances that face Latinos today,” said Trisha Ranes, multicultural marketing manager for H&R Block. “Through bilingual tax professionals, information in their language, and years of experience, we guide members of the Latino community for long-term financial success.”
Since 2010, HAF and H&R Block have held over 1,100 workshops in more than 900 churches and community spaces nationwide. A complete list of upcoming workshop dates and locations is available at www.pormifuturo.org.