Free Tax Help for Individuals and Families

March 12, 2013

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Offers Free Tax Help for Those Who Qualify. There are thousands of VITA sites located across the country. You may find a site near you between January and April using the VITA Locator Tool or call 1-800-906-9887.

VITA

The VITA Program offers free tax help to people who make $51,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.  Each year, more than 60,000 IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in local communities. They are trained to inform taxpayers about special tax credits such as Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled.

VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations. For the 2013 tax season, Food Bank NYC, New York City’s largest VITA provider, is partnering with ACF, the New York City Office of Financial Empowerment and two Head Start grantees to provide VITA services at additional sites:

• Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, 3101 Kingsbridge Terrace, Bronx

Christina Ventura:  718- 884- 0700

• The Children’s Aid Society, Washington Heights PS 5, 37-03 Tenth Ave., Manhattan

Elizabeth Perez:  646-574-0203  

ITEMS YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR TAX RETURN(S) PREPARED BY VITA:

• Proof of identification – Picture ID

• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social  
  Security Administration or

• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter for you, your spouse and dependents

• Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN

• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return

• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc from all employers

• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)

• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available

• Proof of bank routing and account numbers for Direct Deposit, such as a blank check

• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the
   provider's business Employer Identification Number) if appropriate

• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.
 
 
ADDITIONAL TAX PREPARATION INFORMATION – IRS, New Jersey and New York

• IRS                                Call  1-800-829-1040
 
• New Jersey                  Call  211 and ask for “tax preparation assistance”
                              Visit on the web:  http://nj211.org/vita09.cfm
 
• New York                     Call  311 and ask for “tax preparation assistance”
                              Visit on the web:  http://nyc.gov and search “tax prep”