Tax Tip 2019-37, April 8, 2019
Whether a taxpayer has a simple straight-forward tax return or one that’s a little more complex, the IRS can help. As the filing deadline quickly approaches, here’s information about the different ways taxpayers can get free help with their federal taxes.
Volunteer Income Tax A-sistance Program offers free tax help and tax return preparation to individuals who generally make $55,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and individuals with limited English proficiency.
To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, taxpayers can use the VITA and TCE locator on IRS.gov, download the IRS2Go app or call 800-906-9887. Help is also available in Chinese, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese at select locations.
This group oversees military tax programs worldwide and connects the IRS to military personnel and their families. Volunteers can help with military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the earned income tax credit. In addition to free tax return preparation a-sistance, each site will e-file returns for free.
Taxpayers who want to prepare and e-file their tax returns can use IRS Free File on IRS.gov. IRS Free File offers brand-name tax software for taxpayers who earned $66,000 or less so they can prepare and file their federal tax returns for free. Taxpayers who earned more can use Free Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. IRS Free File also allows taxpayers to get an automatic extension of time to file, but taxpayers must generally pay taxes owed by the April tax-filing deadline to avoid penalties and interest. Special rules apply for military service members.
In the United States—the world’s largest economy—wealth is more than money. It is status, security, freedom, and in many ways, identity. From the rags-to-riches myths of the Gilded Age to the tech billionaires of Silicon Valley, America has always been fascinated by those who amass fortunes beyond imagination.
