16歲的我通過幫別人報稅“改變”了世界

Each year, we post a casting call for writers and their college application essays that have something to do with money. Nearly 300 people responded this year. Below, you’ll find five that stood out for their sensitivity, depth of insight and sheer geekiness. Who would have imagined, for instance, that there was a high school student out there helping people with their tax returns — or that she could learn so much about the world by doing so?

每一年，我們都會向作者征集他們所寫的與有關金錢的大學申請作文。今年有將近300人回應。未來幾天你會看到五篇文章因為它們的情感領悟、洞察能力和全然的古怪脫穎而出。比方說，誰能想到一個高中生會幫人報稅——或是她通過這一件事，能對世界有了這么多的了解?

BRONXVILLE, N.Y. 紐約布朗克斯維爾

Caroline S. Beit

卡洛琳·S·貝特

“Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

“除了死亡和納稅，沒什么是可以確定的。”

Not only do Benjamin Franklin’s words still resonate today, but, if you are like most, filing income taxes is simply unpleasant. For me, however, preparing taxes has been a telescopic lens with which to observe the disparate economic realities present in our society. In looking through this lens, I have seen firsthand how low wages and, at times, regressive public policy can adversely impact the financially fragile, and how I can make a difference.

本杰明·富蘭克林(Benjamin Franklin)的這句話到了今天依然能夠引起共鳴，如果你和大多數(shù)人一樣，也會覺得申報所得稅的確令人不快。不過，對我來說，報稅準備工作是我觀察我們社會當中迥異經(jīng)濟現(xiàn)實的望遠鏡。透過這個鏡頭，我親眼見識到，有時微薄的工資和倒退的公共政策會對經(jīng)濟弱勢者帶來什么不利影響，以及我如何才能作出改變。

This coming year will be my third volunteering every Saturday during tax season with AARP’s Tax-Aide Program. In the basement of the Morningside Heights Library in Manhattan, we help the elderly and low-income individuals file their taxes. During my first season, I handled organizational tasks and assisted intake counselors with the initial interview process.

在報稅季節(jié)，我每個周六都跟隨AARP報稅援助項目(Tax-Aide Program)進行志愿工作，接下來的這一年將是第三次了。在曼哈頓晨邊高地圖書館(Morningside Heights Library)的地下室里，我們會幫助年邁者和低收入者報稅。在我第一次加入的那個報稅季節(jié)里，我負責處理組織任務，在初始面試過程中協(xié)助招募顧問。

When I told the AARP manager that I wanted to return the following season and do actual tax preparation, she was skeptical, especially since the next youngest tax preparer at my location was 37. That, however, did not deter me: Though I would be just 16 before the start of the season, I diligently studied the material and passed the advanced I.R.S. qualification test.

我告訴AARP的經(jīng)理我想在下一個季度回來，并做些實際的稅務準備工作時，她表示懷疑，尤其是因為在我的所在地，第二年輕的報稅人員也有37歲。但是，這并沒有把我嚇?。罕M管我在稅務季節(jié)開始時剛滿16歲，但我鉆研過這些材料，也通過了美國國稅局(I.R.S.)的高級資格考試。

As a volunteer, my goal is to help my clients obtain every credit they are entitled to and place vitally needed money in their pockets. To do this, I need much more than just technical knowledge. It is also essential to connect on a human level. I make it a point to put each person at ease by actively listening to his or her story.

作為志愿者，我的目標是幫助我的客戶得到他們應得的每一筆抵免，將亟需的資金放回他們的口袋。要做到這一點，我需要的不僅僅是專業(yè)知識，還得在人與人的層面進行溝通。我會積極地傾聽他或她的故事，注意使每個人都感到放松。

For example, the young woman, who is a recently minted United States citizen and barely speaks English, mentions that her disabled grandmother lives with her. Her story allows me to determine she can claim a dependent care credit for her grandmother and a $1,000 earned income credit. These credits represent approximately 20 percent of her income and will go toward buying her grandmother’s medications and other necessities.

比如那位幾乎不會說英語、剛剛成為美國公民的年輕女子，她提到自己與殘疾的祖母同住。從她的故事中我可以確定，她可以因為她的祖母而申請“受撫養(yǎng)者看護稅抵”和一千美元的勞動所得抵免。這些抵免占了她收入的20%左右，并將用來為她的祖母購買藥品和其他必需品。

I am saddened at times by the palpable stress of those living on the edge of economic subsistence. Basic necessities such as sneakers and dental care, which I had never thought twice about, are out of reach for many. I vividly remember the single mom from Queens who works at Target and spent $400 (a week’s paycheck) at H&R Block last year. By not having to pay for tax preparation this year and the credits she can claim, she confided she will be able to buy her son, who is my age, new shoes for track and hopefully see a dentist for a tooth that has been throbbing for months.

有時，經(jīng)濟狀況處于維生邊緣的人們所受到的壓力是那樣明顯，令我感到悲傷。比如球鞋和牙科護理這樣我從未多花心思的基本需求，對很多人而言都遙不可及。我清楚地記得，那位來自皇后區(qū)，在塔吉特(Target)工作的單親媽媽去年在H&R Block報稅公司花掉了400美元(相當于她一周的薪水)。有了我們的志愿工作，今年她不需要再為報稅準備付款，還可以申請抵免，于是她向我表示，她可以為和我同齡的兒子買一雙新跑鞋了，而且還有希望去牙醫(yī)那兒看看抽痛了幾個月的一顆牙。

As a volunteer, I have learned the importance of empathizing, listening and communicating complex and technical matters simply. Making my clients feel at ease allows them to understand my explanation of how their money is being taxed. I have also gained insight into how tax policy affects the financial and physical health of the working poor and elderly. While I have not changed the tax system (though someday I plan to), I have changed how my clients interact with it.

作為志愿者，我學到了共情、傾聽，以及通過簡單的方式溝通復雜專業(yè)問題的重要性。讓我的客戶放松，他們就能理解我對他們的錢應當如何繳稅的解釋。我也深入了解了稅收政策會對低收入勞動者和老年人的經(jīng)濟狀況與身體健康產(chǎn)生怎樣的影響。雖然我并沒有改變稅收體制(雖然我以后有這個打算)，但我改變了客戶與體制的溝通方式。

Beyond Benjamin Franklin’s two certainties in life of death and taxes, I would add a third: the enduring power of the human spirit. I remember an octogenarian man with a cane who waited two hours in line on a bone-chillingly rainy Saturday in February. He is somehow able to survive in Manhattan on $15,000 of Social Security earnings a year. Even though his income is below the filing requirement, together we claim $77 of school tax and rent credits, which translates into two weeks of groceries.

除了本杰明·富蘭克林說的，生命中死亡與稅收這兩樣確定的事情之外，我還會加上第三件確定的事，那就是人類精神的持久力量。我記得一位拄著拐杖的八旬老人，在二月一個下著雨的寒冷周六排了兩個小時的隊。不知怎地，他能在曼哈頓憑著每年15000美元的社保收入生活下來。盡管他的收入低于報稅要求，但我們一起申報了77美元的學區(qū)稅和租房抵免，這相當于他兩個星期的雜貨采購費用。

When we finish, he says to me, “See you next year.” It is at that moment I know I have made a tangible difference.

我們完成了工作后，他對我說，“明年見。”這一刻，我知道我已經(jīng)做出了實實在在的改變。