Free Tax Help – There are tax resources on the Web and at your local library. The IRS has a tax information Website that offers free assistance. However, we have put together a list of these resources if you’re having trouble finding the right information.Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) – The VITA program offers assistance to low-to-moderate-income (generally, $49,000 and below) residents. Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare basic returns at sites across the country. They offer free tax help and are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other public locations. Most VITA sites offer free electronic filing. VITA locations can be found at the program’s partial online directory listing or call 1-800-906-9887.
Military personnel tax assistance – The military has its own VITA program. It’s overseen by the Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC), which consists of tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Members of the armed forces and their families worldwide receive free tax preparation assistance at VITA offices within their installations. Tax volunteers there are trained to address military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) guidelines. As with the civilian VITA sites, most service members can file their tax returns electronically at their tax centers, as well as receive direct deposit of their refunds.
Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) – If you are find a tax problem is causing you serious financial difficulty and you haven’t been able to resolve the issue through normal IRS channels, you might be eligible for help from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). The Taxpayer Advocate Toolkit offers information for individuals and businesses that need help in resolving a tax problem. You also can call the national office at 1-877-777-4778 or find your nearest taxpayer advocate office using TAS’ online locator map.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Free IRS Tax Help
4:19 AM
Tribune
