Staff Writer
The tax checkoffs found on Kansas income tax forms end up raising serious money for state programs.
Kansas Department of Revenue Director of Communications Jeannine Koranda provided information on how much money the tax checkoffs raised over the last five years.
During tax year 2013, Breast Cancer Research garnered 4,026 donors who gave $56,882, Creative Arts garnered 2,166 donors who gave $22,135, Hometown Hero garnered 2,731 donors who gave $36,150, Meals on Wheels garnered 6,192 donors who gave $107,658, Military Emergency Relief garnered 3,837 donors who gave $59,773, and Non Game Wildlife garnered 6,220 donors who gave $84,350. In total, 25,172 donors gave $366,948 to the programs.
However, the amount raised was nearly $80,000 less than the tax checkoff program collected in 2009, when there were fewer checkoff options.
Woodrow Crawshaw, who has offered income tax service since 1969 and in Marion for 19 of those years, said he’s not had a client use a checkoff program.
“My customers haven’t been using any of them,” Crawshaw said.
He said the advantage of using a tax checkoff program is that the taxpayer might get to participate in the program being supported.
“It doesn’t impact their refund, nor does it affect their tax owed,” Crawshaw said.
He said that in his own household, they fund their charities of choice through the year, but not at tax time.
Crawshaw did offer a bit of tax-time advice.
“Clients really need to take a close look at itemization if they can,” Crawshaw said. “If they can dig up enough, they might get a bigger refund. I always encourage my clients to not overlook things like medical mileage, to and from the doctor or medical clinics, medical equipment, and such items as crutches or walkers.”