1. Senior Director, Asset Building Strategies
Cary Gladstone
Senior Director, Asset Building Strategies
Granite United Way

2. Granite United Way & CA$H Coalition of NH
13 VITA sites
2018 filing season: 4192 returns
269 split refunds
(Split refunds range from 0 to 18%)
(About 4200 federal returns)
269 split refunds (Nearly 300 filers split their refund)
As many as 72 at 1 site (13%)
66 of 358 at another site, 18%

3. First grand prize winner--$25,000 in 2013, plus several smaller winners
2018 Save Your Refund—8 $100 winners
8% of total, in location w/less than 1% US population

4. Tips for Success: Begins & ends with Site Coordinator
Everyone asking everyone
Volunteers must understand refund options:
Split up refunds into up to 3 accounts/Savings Bond
Direct Deposit into 1 account
Paper check
A word about savings bonds: Savings bonds are not for everyone but are still in the mix—2.52% Currently
I’ve seen filers walk out of the site standing a little taller for becoming a long-term saver…for as little as $50.

5. Prosperity Now Tool Kit has tips on talking with your filers about splitting.
Intake sheet provides opportunity for conversation points
CFPB material on “anchoring”—suggested amounts—
For example, if a filer previously went to a commercial preparer, ask how much they spent. The response--$200-$300—can anchor the conversation about splitting to a specific amount.

6. Save Your Refund “We’re giving away $30,000”
Not the main reason to split,
but makes it fun!
Pay yourself first
“We’re giving away $30,000”

7. First-year partner where previous site coordinator, did not embrace split refund
Newbie a Split Refund enthusiast—the River Center, Peterborough, NH –23 returns, 8%
Rookie of the Year
Pictured is Tara, who wanted to model savings for younger people, and wound up winning $10,000

8. Granite United Way’s site in Laconia—
17 splits but “no winners”—until grand prizes were announced
Cassandra, a single mom who worked 3 jobs in 2017 and put herself through school. Here we see her on graduation day.
With her $10,000 she wants to open a hair salon

9. The VITA community and all of our filers
Special Thanks to
Commonwealth
America Saves
The VITA community and all of our filers
2 chances to win Grand Prizes can be double life-changing
Conversation with Cassandra recalled Lily 5 years earlier
Cassandra was just as flabbergasted with $10,000