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“I think it offers an opportunity for the Hispanic community to reach out and have someone who understands them and not have it translated for them,” she said. “We can do this directly without a middleman.”
Ms. Núñez, who resides in East Toledo, is engaged to be married. She has a four-year old daughter and three-year old son, so she understands where families are coming from. Many rely heavily on a tax refund to get caught up on bills or make ends meet each year.
While she did not know exactly how many Spanish-speaking families used the services of Tessera Associates last year, Ms. Núñez expects to be busy right through the tax deadline of April 15. Trust and familiarity are recognized as big issues for Latino families when it comes to financial companies—even a fee-for-service tax preparation agency.
“We did have quite a few people who came through and they have their friends and family excited they can come in (knowing someone who speaks their language),” said Ms. Núñez.
Tessera Associates expects to cater especially to Toledo’s population of undocumented immigrants—which she called an underserved community. The firm’s bilingual skills and cultural competence is hoped to offset an inherent fear of anything related to the federal government—especially the IRS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Appointments are available outside operating hours at the Quintero Center tax office by calling 419.407.4142.
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