Where to Find Free Tax Help

[January 16, 2008]  (AP) -- Many taxpayers can get free tax help from IRS-sponsored programs at neighborhood community centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other sites during the filing season. The IRS provides technical assistance for training and certification of volunteer tax counselors.

A rundown:

• VITA: The IRS' Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers help to taxpayers with incomes of $40,000 or less. Most sites also offer electronic filing. To find a VITA site near you, call 1-800-829-1040.

• TCE: Tax Counseling for the Elderly helps people age 60 and older. Many of the volunteer counselors come from AARP's Tax-Aide program, which provides tax help for the elderly at 9,000 sites across the country. To find one near you, call AARP at 1-888-227-7669, or visit AARP's Web site at http://www.aarp.org/money/taxaide/.

• Military personnel: Military service members and spouses get tax help here and abroad through a program coordinated by the Armed Forces Tax Council. The IRS provides tax software and tax prep training. For more information, see IRS Publication 3, "Armed Forces' Tax Guide," available on the IRS Web site, http://www.irs.gov/ or order a free copy by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

• Free electronic tax preparation and filing: If your income was $54,000 or less in 2007, you can use Free File to prepare your taxes online for free through the IRS' partners in the Free File Alliance. Go to the IRS Web site and follow the links to Free File.

The IRS itself provides free tax help in several ways:

• Its Web site, http://www.irs.gov/, has information on any tax topic, publication, instructions or form. You can research tax questions, order forms and publications, view IRS bulletins and use interactive tools for making certain calculations.

• Phone assistance. The IRS has several toll-free numbers for tax help. For individuals, call 1-800-829-1040; for businesses, 1-800-829-4933. People with hearing impairments should call 1-800-829-4059.

• IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers provide tax help in person at walk-in sites. Go to http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/index.html and click on your state to view ones near you. To find the nearest site, you also can enter your five-digit ZIP code into the "Walk-in Site" search box.

• Taxpayer Advocate: an independent office within the IRS. It doesn't help you file your return, but it does help with unresolved tax issues or problems with the IRS. Call toll-free at 1-877-777-4778.

[Associated Press]

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