LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP: Pennsylvanians can use tax return to support PA’s military, veterans, families

Feb. 22—WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvanians filing their 2024 personal state income taxes can help Pennsylvania’s military personnel, veterans and their families by donating any amount of their refund to the state’s Military Family Relief Assistance Program (MFRAP) and/or Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF).

Both programs are administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), which provides resources and assistance to veterans, military members and their families in the commonwealth.

Pennsylvanians interested in donating should refer to the 2024 Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Return Instructions (PA-40 IN).

“Pennsylvanians are always supportive of our veterans and that shines through every year with the many donations received in support of DMVA’s grant programs,” said Brig. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “We are thankful to everyone for their generosity. Without proper funding for these programs, many of our veterans and their families would not receive much-needed assistance in times of unforeseen crisis.”

—Military Family Relief Assistance Program helps Pennsylvania service members and their families by providing financial assistance to those with a direct and immediate financial need as a result of circumstances beyond their control.

All members of the armed forces who were discharged for medical reasons are also eligible to apply for assistance up to four years after a medical discharge.

Reserve component service members (including Pennsylvania National Guard members) and their families may be eligible for a grant for a period of up to three years after release from a qualifying active-duty tour.

The program also applies to certain family members of eligible service members. Applicants must show that they have a direct and immediate financial need because of circumstances beyond their control.

—Veterans’ Trust Fund provides funding to assist and support Pennsylvania veterans and their families. The VTF will issue grants to statewide charitable organizations that assist veterans, veterans service organizations and county directors of veterans affairs. The fund can assist veterans in need of shelter and with necessities of living.

Since the VTF grant program began in 2013, a total of $8.17 million has been awarded to organizations across Pennsylvania.

Private donations can be made online at www.donate.dmva.pa.gov or mailed to: DMVA-Veterans’ Trust Fund, Bldg. 9-26, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA 17003-5002.

State spends over $1B with small, small diverse and veteran-owned businesses

The Shapiro-Davis Administration this week delivered on a pledge to help Pennsylvania small businesses compete for and win more procurement opportunities, as the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS) announced an additional $1.24 billion was spent on contracts with small businesses, small diverse businesses and veteran-owned business enterprises for a second consecutive year.

This surpasses the $1.1 billion spent in the 2022-23 fiscal year — and marks another record investment after Gov. Josh Shapiro implemented commonsense improvements to the contracting process.

In addition to the record spending highlighted in the Bureau of Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities (BDISBO) 2023-24 Annual Report, DGS has spent the last year implementing improvements to its programs and policies administered by BDISBO that enhances the overall experience of small, small diverse, and veteran-owned businesses looking to do business with the Commonwealth and increase the number of opportunities available to them, including:

—Reducing the time it takes to certify a small business with DGS by 33%.

—Implementing a prompt pay policy to ensure non construction prime contractors pay subcontractors within 10 days of receiving payment from the Commonwealth.

—Implementing a new communication practice to proactively notify over 5,000 registered small businesses and over 300 small business advocates and stakeholder organizations of upcoming procurement opportunities.

—Partnering with the Department of State to collect voluntarily submitted information from businesses so that BDISBO can determine if they qualify as SBs, SDBs, or VBEs and connect interested businesses with Commonwealth contracting opportunities.

—Conducting 64 virtual and in-person outreach events that reached over 3,000 participants across Pennsylvania aimed at educating the small business community on how to do business with the Commonwealth.

—Launching a mentor-protege program to connect 12 Pennsylvanian small businesses with six prime contractors to equip them with the tools they need to better compete for state contracts.

—Implementing a new virtual business development training curricula containing six modules on the Commonwealth’s procurement process and policies for small businesses to access at no cost.

FBI takes action to protect citizens’ hard-earned money

As cryptocurrency investment fraud scams blanket the nation, causing unprecedented financial and psychological hardship to tens of thousands of Americans, the FBI is stepping up with a hands-on measure to protect the public.

Operation Level Up is a proactive initiative to identify and notify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. Using sophisticated techniques, the FBI identifies victims who are actively being defrauded and promptly intervenes by contacting those victims.

Since the start of Operation Level Up over a year ago, the FBI has notified more than 4,300 victims spanning all 50 states. Of these victims, 76% were not aware they were being scammed. Through these notification efforts, the FBI has saved victims more than $285 million.

“The FBI is committed to protecting citizens from cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough.

Cryptocurrency investment frauds are elaborate schemes that often involve unsolicited online contact, a long period of trust building, fake investment opportunities, and a false sense of urgency to send money, perpetrated by individuals typically located overseas who target victims in the United States.

In Operation Level Up, specially trained FBI and U.S. Secret Service Agents are contacting victims directly to prevent further victimization and financial loss. Agents also explain how these crimes work and how to avoid them in the future, outline how to file a report with federal law enforcement, and provide access to mental health and other resources to assist with the impacts of these crimes.

In numerous instances, victims told the FBI that the notification stopped them from liquidating their entire retirement accounts, selling their homes, or taking out costly loans to continue investing in fake cryptocurrency applications. Due to the profound emotional toll these scams can have, dozens of victims contacted through Operation Level Up were referred to the FBI Victim Services Division and provided direct support and lifesaving measures.

Below are some tips to help protect yourself from these scams:

—Do not release any financial or personal identifying information and do not send any money to someone you met online.

—Do not invest solely based on the advice of someone you met online.

—Do not download or use any unfamiliar applications or click on any links sent to you by someone you met online.

—Do not pay any additional fees or taxes to withdraw money you have invested in a potential scheme.

—Do not pay for services that claim to be able to recover lost funds, as these are often scams as well.

If you think you may be a potential victim, you should stop sending money immediately and file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel