Volunteer Tax Assistance
Taxpayers who need help with no-cost income tax preparation help should check to see if they are eligible for the community-based, IRS-sponsored, volunteer tax assistance programs.
Tax Counseling for the Aged or Elderly
The 10 things that the IRS would like you to know about their assistance programs to help with your 2010 taxes:
1. The IRS is the sponsor of both the Tax Counseling for the Aged or Elderly and the Volunteer Tax Assistance programs.
2. The IRS's Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA)is there to help anyone who earns less than $49,000. Most of their sites also offer electronic filing for free.
3. The Tax Counseling for the Aged or Elderly offers free tax assistance to those people age 60 and over.
4. The IRS has training for community volunteers who want to help qualifying taxpayers with special tax credits such as the Credit for the Elderly,Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income credit.
5. Many volunteer locations have language specialists for those people who speak limited English.
6. There are over 12,000 no cost tax preparer sites open all over the nation this year as the IRS seeks to expand its partnerships with both community organizations and nonprofits who perform these necessary jobs.
7. As a portion of the TCE program, AARP has Tax-Aide no cost income tax preparation at over 6,000 places throughout the country during the tax filing season. Certified, trained AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are there to offer help to taxpayers with low-to-medium income, especially for those age 60 and over.
8. The military also works with the IRS to give free tax help to military members and family members. The Armed Forces Tax Committee is made up of the tax coordinators for all the branches of the military. Volunteers are trained and knowlegeable to take care of specific military issues such as benefits for being in a combat zone.
9. Locations of these programs along with hours of operation are usually available through local community organizations and city info hotlines.
10. Local VITA information is also available at the IRS's website: irs.gov or give them a call at their toll-free number 1-888-227-7669 (888-AARPNOW) or by visiting aarp.org.
