EITC Success Story: Helping People

¶ … EITC Success Story: Helping People with Disabilities Earn and Save

Judy Stengel, IRS Specialist

Wichita, KS

Running contrary to Darwin's law of survival of the fittest is the need in some human beings to help others in need. The fittest helping the less fit, so to speak. In this article an IRS representative had discovered that many people, especially those with disabilities and low income levels, were not taking advantage of some of the possible financial recoupment that the Eared Income Tax Credit (EITC) could provide for them. She joined with a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) assistor, at the Episcopal Social Services (ESS) in Wichita, Kansas. This is a group that helps individuals file their income taxes at no cost. She asked them to explore a group that normally does not file a tax return because of low income, analyze their situation to see if they can receive an EITC credit. By filing the return this group received an average of $171 each plus an additional average each of $26 for the state of Kansas EITC. While that sum may not seem enormous for the amount of effort involved, the individuals who live at very low-income levels were able to add a few more dollars towards their living expenses.

Why do people help? Why are we not all Scrooges condemning people to jails or workhouses? Altruism is an interesting human attribute that seems to proliferate as the world grows and becomes more in need of it. There are many possibilities that may create an altruistic attitude. Perhaps, survival of the fittest has been replaced as the all-driving mechanism of human nature in a world where survival is no longer paramount. Perhaps it is a search for meaning in one's life that promotes this altruistic nature. Psychology itself is in essence a search for meaning in one's life and altruism can often give us that meaning, that sense of purpose in life that is often the balm needed when trying to create a whole personality. In the instance of this article an IRS staff person has used her knowledge to help those in need, costing the government money, but creating a place in her heart for caring.