9 ways to get free help filling out a tax return

The tax service reminds taxpayers of their right to receive free assistance in preparing tax returns. GoBankingRates Edition lists the available options.

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How to get free tax help

Depending on economic needs, age and other factors, options for free tax assistance programs are offered. Some also offer free tools to everyone, not just people who are eligible for free tax help.

Here are nine ways to get free tax preparation assistance:

1.Volunteer Income Tax Assistance - VITA

This program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance - VITA) is designed for individuals with an annual income of no more than 54 000 US dollars, people with disabilities, elderly people and taxpayers who do not know English well, who need assistance in filling out their tax returns.

Volunteers who are certified by the United States Revenue Service provide free grants to individuals who meet these requirements in completing and filing a basic tax return electronically.

Search for a VITA facility in a local center, local school, mall or library. You can also call the 800-906-9887 number to find the VITA point nearest you, or use the search tool on IRS website.

2. IRS Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program

Along with the VITA program, there is a Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Tax Advice Program, which offers free tax assistance to all categories of taxpayers, but especially to people aged 60 and older.

The TSE program specializes in retirement matters that are of interest only to older audiences. US Tax Administration-certified volunteers who advise clients on tax issues are in many cases retirees associated with non-profit organizations that receive grants from the US Tax Administration.

To find a TCE volunteer near you, call: 888-227-7669 or use the tool AARP search.

3. IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service

You can also get free help from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service, which is an independent organization within the US Internal Revenue Service that can provide support if your tax problems are not resolved by standard IRS procedures.

The service is available to both individuals and businesses, and offices are located in every state, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. After they assign you a lawyer, they can accompany you in case of problems related to taxes that you may face.

You can find contact information for the nearest office of the Taxpayer Protection Service by visiting IRS website.

4. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program offers free tax return services for people with low and middle income levels, especially for those older than 50 for years, in more than 5000 locations across the country. Bring all necessary receipts and tax documents to get help with registration.

To find the department nearest you, call: 888-687-2277 or visit the webAARP website.

5. Free File Alliance and IRS Free File

For help filing your 2018 taxes, consider using Free File. About 100 million taxpayers—more than 70 percent of all taxpayers—are eligible for the program, which offers free tax preparation help, ensures your calculations are accurate, and even files your taxes for free.

Taxpayers seeking help can access the Free File on IRS website.

6. Taxpayer Assistance Centers

Sometimes you need to talk to someone face-to-face and ask them to review your documents to make sure you fill out the forms correctly. You can bring your documents to the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center for personalized assistance by appointment.

The IRS has Taxpayer Assistance Centers in every state, and the Center nearest you can be found at the Taxpayer Assistance Center’s office. IRS website.

7. TurboTax AnswerXchange

To get answers to your tax questions, try asking TurboTax AnswerXchange. You can contact experts, experts and existing users to help you. Post a question on the site to get answers and tax advice, as well as read other questions similar to yours. In addition, you can browse or search for popular topics with answers and provided tips.

8. Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics

The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) program is a federal grant matching program. It provides money to legal services organizations, such as law schools and business schools, to provide income tax assistance to low-income people or people for whom English is a second language.

The program helps people with problems with the Internal Revenue Service—including appeals, collections, lawsuits and audits—by helping them resolve any problems with their accounts. They also help educate people about their rights and responsibilities when it comes to taxes and legal services.

9. Military program MilTax from OneSource

MilTax is a program from Military OneSource that provides military members and their families with free tax preparation software and support services and ensures they take advantage of all the military tax benefits available to them.

You can call a qualified MilTax consultant seven days a week during the tax season at: 800-342-9647, or you can chat in chat on MilTax website. MilTax is part of the VITA program, which means that you can also get personal help at the base or somewhere nearby.

How to avoid fraud

If you need free help or a program that is not in this list, make sure that the organization is legitimate. Read reviews online or find the name of the service provider with the word "scammers" after it. Also ask friends and family about them. Finally, always check with the Better Business Bureau to find out how the tax company is evaluated.

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