Taxes can be complicated, and the slightest oversight could mean leaving major money on the table. Good reasons to hire professional help. But that help doesn’t have to be expensive.
If you qualify for the earned income credit, meaning you made $39,000 or less last year, you can get your taxes done completely free.
Just look for VITA. There are thousands of sites nationwide, from the IRS to ACORN.
“They can get their taxes done for free, get them submitted electronically and get them in the same amount of time as they would if they went to a tax preparer,” says Aaron Pridgen with ACORN
If you’re 60 or older, there’s also tax counseling for the elderly, or TCE. As you might imagine, AARP is big in this program.
And if you’re in the military, you won’t be fighting for free help. The Armed forces Tax Council, or AFTC, provides free help to military and their families.
Personal assistance, but free online preparation and filing: not bad.
And no matter how much you made, there’s one thing you can always get for free: advice. Either in person at an IRS office, or on one of their toll-free numbers.
So with all that free help out there, there’s no reason to tax yourself. But remember: while there may not be strings attached, a lot of this free help comes with lines attached. First come, first served.