The Ohio Benefit Bank: Accessing Ohio Public Benefits
Learning Goals/Objectives:
• Identify the
resources available through the Ohio Benefit Bank
• Explain how to access the Ohio Benefit Bank resources.
• Discuss the rationale for the OBB program.
Overview:
The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is a public-private partnership
that helps connect low- and moderate-income Ohioans with free tax preparation
and access to potential public benefits. In partnership with the Governor’s
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the Ohio Association of
Second Harvest Foodbanks, the OBB encourages eligible Ohioans to claim tax
credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, and public benefits, such as
food stamps, child care subsidies, home energy assistance and children’s health
care insurance by helping them to determine potential eligibility and complete
accurate applications.
According to the OBB, almost $1.6 billion in aid goes
unclaimed every year in Ohio. Nearly 95 percent of these unclaimed tax credits
and benefits are federal dollars that would otherwise not come into Ohio. This
lesson introduces students to the Ohio Benefit Bank programs and how to access
services.
Grouping of Students:
Class discussion
Methods:
Review of Internet resource
Class discussion
Activities:
Background Information about the Ohio Benefit Bank
The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is a web-based computer program to connect low and
moderate-income Ohioans with access to work supports such as tax credits and
public benefits.
The
OBB is offered through a public-private partnership between the Governor's
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, the Ohio
Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks and more than 900
faith-based, nonprofit, governmental and private-sector partners.
Trained
counselors staff Benefit Bank sites in all of Ohio's
88 counties where they help prepare and file federal and Ohio income tax
returns at no cost to eligible Ohioans. Free income tax assistance is also available through an online, self-service
program.
Ohioans
can also check potential eligibility for other work support
benefits such as health care coverage, home energy assistance, child care
subsidies, and food stamps.
Since
beginning operations, the Benefit Bank has helped more than 78,000
Ohioans access more than $265 million in tax credits and other work
supports. However, more than $1.7 billion in tax credits and other
supports go unclaimed by eligible Ohioans who do not apply.
At community-based
OBB sites, clients work with trained counselors to receive:
Free
assistance with claiming work support public benefits, including:
- Food Assistance
- Ohio Works First (cash
assistance) - Healthy Start and
Healthy Families (health insurance) - Medicaid (health insurance)
- Child Care Subsidies
- Low-Income
Home Energy Assistance Program (LI-HEAP)
Free federal and Ohio income tax assistance for those
earning under $57,000 per year, including:
- Electronic
filing of income tax returns - Refunds
within 7-10 days - Direct
deposit of refunds - Split
direct deposit of refunds - Back
taxes (up to three years) - Free
assistance with claiming federal tax credits, including the:
Child and
Dependent Care Credit
The
OBB also offers a new self-service
web site for free federal and Ohio income tax preparation and
electronic filing for Ohio households with incomes under $57,000 per year.
OBB Contact Information
OBB information hotline - (800) 648-1176.
“Get Help” link: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=321
Procedures
1. Introduce the OBB through the "Background Information."
2. Review the types of programs available and generalize about why it is important to improve access to federal, state and local assistance programs.
3. Students may want to discuss the eligibility requirements of different programs. Small groups can be assigned to study (use the links) and summarize the OBB programs.
4. Generalize about the purposes and impact of assistance programs (primarily for low income citizens.)
Materials:
OBB online resources
Assessment:
Explain the types of resources available to Ohio citizens through the Ohio Benefit Bank program.
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