Finding free tax services
The IRS provides free publications, forms and other tax material and information to help taxpayers meet their tax obligations. Free help is available on the IRS Web site, by phone, at local IRS offices and at many community locations.
• www.IRS.gov You can access free tax information at www.IRS.gov. At 1040 Central on the Individuals page, you can obtain forms, instructions and publications, learn about IRS e-file, determine your eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, read about the latest tax changes and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions. In the Online Services section, you can access numerous applications to help with your taxes, including Free File, the IRS Withholding Calculator, the Alternative Minimum Tax Assistant, the EITC Assistant and more. You can also check the status of your refund by clicking on Where's My Refund?
• Telephone Call the IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals, 800-829-1040, to get answers to your federal tax questions. To order free forms, instructions and publications call 800-829-3676. To hear pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics or check on the status of your refund, call 800-829-4477. TTY/TDD users may call 800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications.
• Taxpayer Assistance Centers When you believe your tax issue cannot be handled online or by phone, and you want face-to-face assistance, you can find help at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center. Locations, business hours and an overview of services are available at IRS.gov. Just go to the "individuals" tab and click on the link for Contact My Local Office in the left tool bar section under IRS Resources.
• Community Resources Free tax preparation is available through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs in many communities. Volunteer return preparation programs provided through IRS and its partners offer free help in preparing simple tax returns for low- to moderate-income taxpayers. Call 800-906-9887 to find the VITA or TCE site nearest you. You may also call AARP — the largest TCE participant — at 888-227-7669 (888-AARPNOW) or access www.aarp.org to find the nearest Tax-Aide site.
Free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Need help filing your tax return? If so, then you should look into the free, IRS-sponsored, volunteer tax return preparation programs.
Trained community volunteers can help eligible taxpayers with all special credits, such as the Child Tax Credit or the Credit for the Elderly. Also, many sites have language specialists to assist people with limited English skills.
Nearly 12,000 free tax preparation sites will be open nationwide this year as the Internal Revenue Service continues to expand its partnerships with nonprofit and community organizations performing vital tax preparation services for low-income and elderly taxpayers.
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program offers free tax help to people who earn less than $42,000. The Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who are 60 and older.
As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at nearly 7,000 sites nationwide during the filing season. Trained and certified AARP Tax-Aide volunteer counselors help people of low-to-moderate income with special attention to people age 60 and older. To locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 (888-AARPNOW) or visit AARP's internet site.
The military also partners with the IRS to provide free tax assistance to military personnel and their families. The Armed Forces Tax Council 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. The AFTC consists of the tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Volunteers are trained and equipped to address military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the new EITC guidelines.
Locations and hours of operation are often available through city information hotlines and local community organizations. Local volunteer tax preparation site information is also available by calling the IRS toll-free number 1-800-906-9887.