Puzzled by the tax law or which credits and deductions to take? Need
assistance with your tax return?
You may want to visit a volunteer site. The IRS Volunteer Income Tax
Assistance (VITA) Program or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
Program offer free tax help if you qualify.
Trained community volunteers can help you with special credits, such
as Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit, and Credit for
the Elderly for which you may qualify. In addition to free tax return
preparation assistance, most sites also offer free electronic filing
(e-filing). Individuals taking advantage of the e-file program will
receive their refunds in half the time compared to returns filed on
paper – even faster if you have your refund deposited directly
into your bank account.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)
The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income (generally,
$40,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns.
Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training
to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country.
VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers,
libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations.
Most locations also offer free electronic filing. To locate the nearest
VITA site, call 1-800-829-1040.
Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program provides free tax
help to people age 60 and older. Trained volunteers from non-profit
organizations provide free tax counseling and basic income tax return
preparation for senior citizens. Volunteers who provide tax counseling
are often retired individuals associated with non-profit organizations
that receive grants from the IRS.
As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP
offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 7,000 sites nationwide
during the filing season. Trained and certified AARP Tax-Aide
volunteer counselors help people of low-to-middle income with special
attention to those age 60 and older.
For more information on TCE call 1-800-829-1040. To locate the
nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit AARP's
Internet site.
Military personnel and their families get free tax help!
The military also has a strong Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) Program. The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) consists of
the tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps,
and Coast Guard. The AFTC oversees the operation of the military
tax programs worldwide, and serves as the main conduit for outreach
by the IRS to military personnel and their families.
Marines, airmen, soldiers, sailors, and guardsmen, and their families
worldwide receive free tax preparation assistance at offices
within their installations. These VITA sites provide free tax
advice, tax preparation, and assistance to military members and
their families. They are trained and equipped to address military
specific tax issues, such as combat
zone tax benefits and the effect of the new Earned
Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines. The military tax
programs generated over 287,644 electronic 2006 federal income
tax returns.
Commanders support the program by detailing service members to prepare
returns and by providing space and equipment for tax centers. The IRS
supports these efforts by providing tax software and by training service
members to prepare taxes at the military sites.
Most service members file their tax returns electronically at their
tax centers and, by selecting direct deposit, receive their refunds
in as little as one week. This combined effort ensures that service
members receive free tax assistance from well-trained and equipped military
tax preparers.
Items you need to bring to the VITA/TCE Sites to have your
tax returns prepared
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Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents
and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued
by the Social Security Administration
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Birth dates for you, your
spouse and dependents on the tax return
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Current year's tax package if you received one
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Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from
all employers
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Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
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A copy of last year's Federal and State returns if
available
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Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit
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Total paid for day care provider
and the day care provider's tax identifying number (the
provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business
Employer Identification Number)
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To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint
tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required
forms.
It is extremely important that each person use the correct Social Security
Number (SSN). The most accurate information is usually located
on your original Social Security card. Each year hundreds of thousands
of returns are delayed in processing, or credit/deductions are disallowed
because names and Social Security Numbers do not match Social Security
Administration records. To prevent processing delays in paper
returns and rejected electronically filed returns, volunteers check
the accuracy of each Social Security Number, as well as the spelling
of the name associated with the number. If you do not have a Social
Security Number for you or a dependent, you should complete Form SS-5,
Social Security Number Application. This form should be submitted
to the nearest Social
Security Administration Office.
If you or your dependent is not eligible to get a Social Security Number,
you may need an Individual
Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
If you have not received
your Forms W-2 from your employer and want to know what to do, you may
obtain information here.
There are payment
options available when using IRS e-file.
If you owe, you can make a payment (by April 15) by authorizing an electronic
funds withdrawal (direct debit) from a checking or savings account,
paying by credit (Discover Card®, American Express®, MasterCard®
or VISA® Card), or by check or money order (payable to the United
States Treasury) using Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher.