For those of you who have not filed your 2009 income tax return, the filing date, April 15, is only five weeks away. Make sure you get your return in on time. Here are some resources for free tax preparation help.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. VITA is an IRS-certified program. VITA sites are staffed by trained volunteers and offer free tax help to low- to moderate-income taxpayers. Most locations also offer free electronic filing. In Lancaster, the United Way and the Red Cross offer more than 10 tax preparation sites across the county.
To qualify your adjusted gross income must be less than $49,000 and you may not have rental property, securities sales, own a business, be a practicing member of the clergy, have itemized medical expenses or be a member of the active military. These categories are excluded because tax issues for these taxpayers are beyond the scope of the volunteers' training.
Trained volunteers can help you with the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Creidt, and Credit for the Elderly. Call 291-LINC (291-5462) to see if you qualify, get a referral to a location near you and make an appointment. There is also a walk-in clinic at First United Methodist Church at 29 E. Walnut St.
IRS's Free File program. This program provides free federal income tax preparation and electronic filing for eligible taxpayers through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies. If your adjusted gross income is $57,000 or less in 2009, you qualify for traditional Free File and are eligible for tax software with step-by-step help.
The software asks simple questions, puts your answers on the right forms, does all the math and checks for accuracy. Many of the participating companies offer free or paid state tax preparation and e-filing services. Some companies may not offer state tax preparation and e-file services for all states. Get more information on Free File at www.irs.gov.
Free Fillable Forms. If your adjusted gross income is greater than $57,000 and you do not qualify for Traditional Free File, you can get free fillable forms. These can be accessed at www.freefilefillableforms.com.
There are no income limitations for this program, and you can self-prepare and e-file your 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ. The forms include some calculation mechanisms but will not actually calculate the tax.
I-CANTM E-File. Using this Web-based software you can prepare and file your federal return for free. I-CANTM E-File is a service of a non-profit with a mission of providing services to low-income persons and seniors. If you do not have access to a computer, MidPenn Legal Servies offers free computer access for you can prepare your own reutrn with I-CANTM E-File. Call 299-0971 to make an appointment.
Tax Counseling for the Elderly. The TCE Program provides free tax help to people 60 and older. Volunteers who provide tax counseling often are retired individuals associated with nonprofit organizations that receive grants from the IRS. For more information on TCE call 1-800-829-1040.
Tax-Aide Counseling. As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 9,000 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. To locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/money/taxaide.
Armed Forces Tax Council. The AFTC is one of the strongest partners in the VITA program. Marines, airmen, soldiers, sailors, guardsmen and their families get tax preparation help. Volunteers are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the new Earned Income Tax Credit. For more information, call 1-800-829-1040.
Are you having tax problems? If you are a low-income taxpayer and are involved in a dispute with the IRS, the Central Pennsylvania Federal Tax Clinic may be able to help.
CPFTC provides free legal services to low-income taxpayers in controversies with the IRS and conducts education and outreach programs for taxpayers with limited English proficiency to inform them of their rights and responsibilities under the federal tax system.
CPFTC represents low-income taxpayers before the IRS or in court, assists taxpayers in audits, appeals and collection disputes and helps taxpayers respond to IRS notices to correct account problems. You also can get help to enter into payment agreements and help becoming current with your taxes if you are a nonfiler.
For more information call Doug Smith at 717-299-7388 ext. 3911 or visit www.pataxhelp.org.