Free Tax Preparation and Filing Resources
Free File is a federal income tax preparation and electronic filing program which allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and file their taxes for free. The tax preparation software is developed through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Free File Alliance, a group of private sector tax software companies.
You may access free commercial online tax preparation and electronic filing services through www.IRS.gov/freefile.
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Free Tax Returns
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Find more information on resources for preparing and filing your income tax, please visit https://freefilealliance.org/
Merry Christmas from St Vincent de Paul
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Keep Christ in Christmas
The Columbian Squires are selling “Keep Christ in Christmas” long sleeve t-shirts in support of St Vincent de Paul.
The Columbian Squires will be selling Keep Christ in Christmas Shirts for the Advent Season. Shirt sizes and quantities are limited. Adult sizes are available as long-sleeved and youth sizes are available as short-sleeved.
The Columbian Squires we will be outside after morning Mass on Sunday, December 20th where you may either for purchase or for pickup a pre-ordered shirt.
If you would like to pre-purchase a shirt, please visit the Columbian Squires site here: https://5450-columbian-squires.square.site
SVDP Donation Collection Weekend
Bundle Weekend
Oct 24 & 25
Deposit those unwanted items in your closet. Dislodge the hodgepodge in your garage!
Bundle Weekend is your opportunity to help those in need by providing your gently used items to St. Vincent de Paul’s Thrift Store! The truck will be here to pick up your bundles on Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25 from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm. The truck will be in its usual spot in the west parking lot of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church - Frisco.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID, a few things have changed.
All items must be boxed or sealed in a trash bag.
We also accept canned food!
For a complete list of acceptable items, please visit https://www.svdpfrisco.org/bundle-weekend Your donations allow our stores and the mobile thrift truck to offer quality items at bargain prices. Plus, a portion of the proceeds are given to our own SVdP conference here at St. Francis!
Tax receipts for your donations are available at the truck.
SVDP Helped Me Restructure my 700% PayDay Loan
As a single mom with a family, I loved my job and it paid well. Yet, my finances were in disarray. I was behind on paying my utility bills, car loan and rent. Surely, a PayDay Loan was a quick and easy fix to my financial struggles!
My bills continued to pile up! I saw no end to my financial problems. I reached out to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) for help. On my first visit with volunteer advocates, I saw I had a chance to get back on my feet again !
Yet, my PayDay Loan, with an interest rate 700%, kept me trapped in a cycle of debt! Then, my volunteer advocates introduced me to SVdP Mini-Loan Program (MLP) as a way to help me take control of my finances. While reviewing my bank statements and budget with my volunteer advocates, I became more knowledgeable of unwise financial decisions I had made over time.
During additional meetings, I set up a budget with the help of MLP Coordinator and encouragement of my volunteer advocates. The key point of these meetings was to set up a budget I would stick to. I needed to be truthful to myself and to understand all my finances, both income and expenses. With confidence, I applied for a low interest bank loan available through the Mini-Loan program. Shortly thereafter, I was approved. YEAH!
Now the difficult part started. I had to stay on budget! My SVdP volunteer advocates helped me. Together, we reviewed my budget periodically, addressed other obligations, and established written goals. They gave me a reality check on how loans are obtained. And, most importantly, they kept my feet to the fire to ensure my budget goals were met.
I was comfortable and very proud I was managing my finances. By year end, all my bills were current. My only debt was the MLP loan which was being paid on schedule. I established a “credit builder account” with a credit union to increase my FICO score and help me with future goals. Within sixteen months, I paid off the MLP loan, raised my FICO score from 545 to 670, and had cash in the bank!
I have no doubt my volunteer advocates were sent by God!
Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul - Sept 27
St Vincent de Paul (1580 – September 27, 1660)
St. Vincent de Paul was born at Pouy, France on April 24, 1581. He was ordained a priest on September 23, 1600. Vincent devoted himself entirely to the alleviation of the sufferings of the poor, and to that purpose established the Confraternities of Charity, later known as the Ladies of Charity, in 1617. In 1625 he founded the Congregation of the Mission, his community of priests and brothers. With Louise de Marillac, he co-founded the Daughters of Charity in 1633. Vincent died in Paris on September 27, 1660 and was canonized in 1737. Pope Leo XIII declared him patron saint of all works of charity.
Reflection
The Church is for all God’s children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance, or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God’s children are forced to live.
source: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-vincent-de-paul/