Financial Health
We offer a wide range of financial health services, from one-on-one credit counseling sessions to personal finance workshops, and we even train community members to assist others in maintaining their credit health. We also offer Skills for Life, an interactive class for 11th and 12th graders that combines lessons in personal finance with career exploration. For locations, cost and contact information of all our financial health programs, please click on the links below.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Free Tax Preparation and Asset Building
As a member of the Boston Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition, we offer free tax preparation for hard working Dorchester families. Taxpayers who earned less than $49,000 in the previous tax year can have their taxes prepared for free and claim important tax credits such as the EITC.
The program is staffed by committed tax volunteers who are trained to prepare tax returns and help taxpayers access additional services including credit counseling, benefit screening and FAFSA assistance.
Please bring the following items to your tax site:
· Social Security Card (or Taxpayer ID Number-ITIN) for you, your children, and your spouse
· Proof of Health Insurance- bring your 1099HC or Health Insurance Card(s) for you and all family members
· All W-2 forms
· All 1099 forms-1099G for unemployment and/or 1099R for pension payments
· All 1098T forms for tuition payments and receipts for books and materials
· Total childcare expenses in 2009 and the name, address, Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number for your child care provider(s)
· 1098E forms for student loan interest paid
· Total rent paid in 2009
· Any mail from the IRS
· A copy of last year’s tax return
· Your bank account and routing numbers to directly deposit your refund
· Total real estate paid in 2009 (if applicable)
· Proof of sales tax and fees paid if you bought a car after February 16th, 2009 (if applicable)
· All closing documents for all first-time homebuyers (if applicable)
Availability:
January through April 15; by appointment May-December.
Location and Hours:
Codman Square Technology Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Monday and Wednesdays 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Monday and Wednesdays 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Eligibility requirement:
Taxpayers earning less than $49,000/year
Cost:
Free
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Credit Coaching
Let’s face it, no one’s perfect…and virtually no one has perfect credit! This program engages skilled volunteers to assist community residents with the nuts and bolts tasks required to improve a credit score in need of boosting! Assistance is practical and hands on and may include helping to draft a letter to a credit agency or helping to establish a personalized plan for tackling several delinquent accounts. The Wednesday evening clinics offer a stress-free, friendly environment that clients can return to month after month, or drop-in only once to address a specific problem.
Locations:
Codman Square Tech Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
Eligibility requirement:
None
Cost:
No charge
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster
Fiscal Health Manager
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Credit Counseling
DotWell partners American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) and the City of Boston EITC Campaign provide the Dorchester community with tools and resources to reduce debt and solve credit problems. Professional credit counselors from ACCC and highly skilled staff from the EITC Campaign are available year round to provide free one-on-one credit counseling to participants. Participants will view their currnt credit report with credit score, and learn how to read and understand the report, as well as develop a personal budget and debt reduction plan. Credit counselors are also available to provide advice on more difficult credit problems, such as debt collection and bankruptcy.
ACCC credit counseling sessions are generally offered twice a month by appointment. Boston EITC Coalition supported credit counseling is at designated times and year round by appointment.
Locations:
Codman Square Tech Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Codman Square Health Center
637 Washington Street, Dorchester
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster
Fiscal Health Manager
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Matched College Savings
Your health center is a member of the statewide organization The Midas Collaborative (http://www.massassets.org/), which promotes asset building for hard-working families in low-income communitities. Through the support of Midas, we offer an Individual Development Account (IDA) that matches college savings 2 to 1 for eligible individuals. Investors can save up to $1,500 for college or vocational school and receive a match of $3,000 from the program.
The IDA program requires investors to complete 8 hours of financial education workshops, as well as 4 hours of financial aid and career development training.
Location:
Codman Square Tech Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Eligibility requirement:
Household income requirements; please contact Shauntell Foster for details
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster
Fiscal Health Coordinator
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Personal Finance Workshops
We regularly work with partners throughout the City of Boston to provide financial workshops to the community. In the past, these workshops have focused on such topics as budgeting, credit, banking, taxes, identity theft, foreclosure prevention and first-time homebuying.
Locations:
Codman Square Tech Center
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
Codman Square Health Center
637 Washington Street, Dorchester
Dorchester House Multi-Service Center
1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester
For more information, contact:
Shauntell Foster
Fiscal Health Coordinator
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Skills for Life
In this highly interactive class, we will combine lessons in personal finance with career exploration by making field trips to Harvard Business School, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and other organizations. You will learn the basics of how to prepare tax returns using IRS approved tax software, freeing you from the paid-tax-preparer trap for life! This is an extremely practical — and highly marketable — life skill for everyone. And it is especially useful for students interested in accounting or business careers. Finally, we will emphasize the importance of giving back to the community. Each student will have the opportunity to receive a stipend if they apply their skills at a DotWell community tax clinic during the tax season.
Ages:
11th or 12th grade students
Location:
450 Washington Street, Dorchester
For more information, please contact:
Shauntell Foster
Fiscal Health Coordinator
617-822-8171
shauntell.foster@dotwell.org
Back to menu
