Dear Neighbor,
Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.
Register Now for my Coffee & Conversation with Special Guest State Sen. Anthony
I look forward to my next Coffee & Conversation with special guest state Sen. Sarah Anthony this Monday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Sam Corey Senior Center, 2108 Cedar St., in Holt. We will talk about state and federal budgets and provide a legislative update. You can register for the event and share any questions or topics you would like covered here. See you then!
Recycle-Rama Helps Dispose of Unwanted Items
Mid-Michigan Recycle-Rama is taking place on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ingham County Health Center, 5303 S. Cedar St., in Lansing. This event is open to the public and no registration is required. Screens and monitors will cost $20 each to recycle. All other accepted items will be recycled for free. Learn more here.
I have volunteered at Recycle-Rama, so I know firsthand that it is a very popular community event!
Nurse Loan Repayment Program Launched
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launched the Nurse Loan Repayment Program (NLRP) last week. NLRP is a student loan repayment program for qualified Michigan nurses working in underserved communities. Under this program, employers will be given up to $300,000 per nurse for up to four years for nurses working in psychiatric facilities, or for up to 10 years for nurses working at other eligible facilities.
To be eligible for the loan repayment program, nurses need to work at least 40 hours a week for at least 45 weeks a year at eligible nonprofit practice sites or full-time for nurses in public school settings or who teach at a school of nursing. Nurses and employers participating in this program will enter into two-year agreements. More information can be found at Michigan.gov/NLRP.
Michigan Department of Treasury Warns Taxpayers of Scammers
The Michigan Department of Treasury is urging taxpayers to be alert for scammers and tax-related identity theft this month. As the methods that scammers use are constantly evolving, the Treasury Department has released the following guidance to protect yourself against fraud and strengthen your cybersecurity:
- Only connect to the internet over secure, password-protected networks.
- Do not click on links or pop-ups, open attachments or respond to emails from individuals you don’t know.
- If you are unsure of the email sender, type a website name by hand rather than clicking on an embedded link.
- Do not respond to online message requests for personally identifiable information. Most organizations — e.g., banks, universities, companies, and government agencies like the state Treasury Department — do not ask for your personal information over the internet.
- Limit who you share information with by reviewing the privacy settings of your social media accounts.
- Trust your intuition. If you think an offer is too good to be true, then it probably is.
- Password-protect all user accounts and devices that connect to the internet with strong passwords at least 12 characters long.
- Do not use the same password twice. Choose a password that means something to you and only you. Change your password on a regular basis.
- If something seems suspicious, report it to the proper authorities.
Additional tax resources can be found below.
Sincerely,
Kara Hope
State Representative
In Case You Missed It…
Individual Income Tax Returns Due This Month
Tax season is quickly approaching, with state and federal taxes due on April 15. Below are some resources that provide free tax assistance:
- Disabled, low income, or taxpayers who are 60 years of age or older may be eligible for free tax help from IRS-certified preparers.
- The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax help from IRS-certified volunteers. VITA services are available to people who generally earn $58,000 per year or less, people with disabilities and people who speak limited English.
- The AARP Tax-Aide program offers free tax help to people over 50 or people with low to moderate income. AARP membership is not required to receive services.
- Those making $73,000 or less may be able to use the IRS Free File site to prepare federal and possibly state tax returns.
- Those making more than $73,000 can prepare and file taxes for free using IRS Free Fillable Forms. This allows taxpayers to prepare and file taxes online, but still requires them to follow IRS instructions and fill out the forms.
- Additional free tax services can be found at michiganfreetaxhelp.org or by dialing 2-1-1.
For information about individual income tax returns and refunds, visit the Treasury eServices website.