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# Audio Conference Invitation

**March 16, 2005**

**12:00 -- 2:00PM EST**

The U.S. Tax System: Opportunities and Challenges for Persons with
Disabilities, their Families and their Employers.

Co-Sponsored by the NCB Development Corporation, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office on Disability, the United
States Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue
Service/Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC),
and the Law, Health Policy, and Disability Center, University of Iowa,
College of Law.

-   **TAX facts+ campaign is a new model for community economic
    development and individual and family asset building for persons
    with disabilities.**

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-   **TAX facts+ is working with existing community based tax and
    financial education low-income coalitions in 13 cities nationwide**
    to expand targeted outreach to include people with disabilities.

## March 16, 2005 Audio Conference on the U.S. Tax Code for Persons with disabilities, their families and employers

**TAX facts+ audio conference on the U. S. Tax Code for persons with
disabilities, their families and employers is a timely topic for those
preparing to file returns.** The tax code contains a number of
provisions of special interest to people with disabilities, their
families and their employers, such as the disabled access credit, that
was written specifically with people with disabilities in mind. Others,
such as the medical expense deduction derive their significance from the
interpretation the courts have given to various words and concepts to
benefit individuals with disabilities.

**The Audio Conference will explore the law from three standpoints:**

1.  Examine what benefits and opportunities the Tax Code currently
    offers by way of credits, deductions or other tax advantages that
    are specifically related to disability;

2.  Address some of the ways in which these provisions fail to achieve
    their intended goals, and propose alternative approaches for the
    consideration by policymakers and citizens; and

3\. Explain some of the technicalities involved in making the best use
of the existing law.

One example may prove helpful. Many assistive technology devices and
services qualify for deductibility as medical expenses. But if the
taxpayer described them as assistive technology, the deduction would
probably be denied because that is not a recognized tax law term.
Taxpayers need to know the appropriate terminology in order to fully
benefit from the opportunity.

## The Speakers

**Eileen Elias,** Deputy Director, Office on Disability, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services

**Stephen Mendelsohn, J.D.** is an attorney advocate and author who is
currently co-principal investigator for the Asset Accumulation and Tax
Policy Project, a NIDRR funded grant at the Law, Health Policy and
Disability Center, University of Iowa, College of Law**.**

**Donald Dill,** Senior Tax Analyst, Internal Revenue Service,
Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC), Volunteer
and Community Organizations

**Michael Morris**, Moderator, Director of the National Disability
Institute at the NCB Development Corporation and Associate Director,
Law, Health Policy and Disability Center, University of Iowa College of
Law

## Registration Information

Registration Information and Questions should be sent to Margaret
Callahan at <mcallahan@ncbdc.org> in advance of the audio conference.
The registration form is attached as a file to this email. Please
fill-out and return to Margaret Callahan. The registration form may also
be accessed by visiting
[www.mastermymoney.org](http://www.mastermymoney.org/), a new website by
the NCB Development Corporation ([www.ncbdc.org](http://www.ncbdc.org/))

**Register for the April 20,2005 audio conference on Financial Education
for Persons with Disabilities**

**at the same time!**

## Accessing the Audio Conference

The Audio conference can be accessed by visiting
[www.mastermymoney.org](http://www.mastermymoney.org/) and linking to:
"The U.S. Tax Code" at the top of the page. The audio conference can
also be accessed by visiting
[disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/projects/aatp-casts.html](http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/projects/aatp-casts.html).
Each site will provide call-in numbers for the conference by March 15,
2005.

## Questions for the Presenters

> It is possible for participants to ask questions of the presenters.
> Questions for the panel can be emailed to Margaret Callahan at
> mcallahan@ncbdc.org until the end of the audio conference on March 16,
> 2005.

## TAX facts+ Campaign

**TAX facts+** is a multi-faceted national campaign that will empower
communities working with persons with disabilities to participate and
expand their knowledge and utilization of favorable tax benefits and
financial education services. **TAX facts+** will direct needed public
attention to the advancement of economic freedom and full community
participation of persons with disabilities. The campaign has three parts
that includes material development, training, and technical assistance
activities.

The purpose of the **TAX facts+** campaign is to build knowledge and
utilization of favorable tax provisions and financial education for
individuals with disabilities, their families and employers to empower
and advance self-directed economic security.

##  SPECIAL THANKS

To the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
([www.FDIC.org](http://www.FDIC.org/)) for providing the studio and
services necessary for the production of the March16, 2005, and April
20, 2005 audio conference series.

## TAX facts+ Campaign Questions

Johnette Hartnett, Ed.D.

Vice President

NCB Development Corporation

1725 Eye Street, NW, Suite 600

Washington, D.C. 20006

Ph: 202-218-7284 Fax: 202-218-7297

E-mail: <jhartnett@ncbdc.org>

&

Law, Health Policy and Disability Center

University of Iowa