Save On Your Taxes
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax credits could make all the difference if you are trying to pay your utilities, feed your family and make your rent each month.
The amount the EITC is worth varies depending on family size and filing status. Even if you aren’t required to file a tax return or don’t owe taxes, you may still qualify for the EITC. Volunteer tax preparers will help determine if you qualify.
Free Tax Assistance
In my financial situation, that would have pushed me over the edge… Instead, I got [tax services] for free through Goodwill. Thank you so much!”
If you are a qualifying individual making less than $49,000/year, you can have your taxes prepared and filed for free at the nearest Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. Having your taxes prepared at a VITA site will allow you to avoid fees and other costly tax preparation services. To locate your nearest VITA site, call (800) 829-1040.
Through our involvement with VITA sites, Goodwills are able to provide additional tools to help families invest in their economic futures. We provide services, such as affordable account options through banks and credit unions, financial education programs, Individual Development Accounts and access to credit reports, to name just a few.
Tax Services for Seniors and Armed Services Personnel
If you’re over the age of 60, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program can provide you free tax assistance as well. For more information, call (800) 829-1040 or email taxaide@aarp.org. You can locate your nearest AARP Tax-Aide site by calling (888) 227-7669.
Men and women in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard may utilize the Armed Forces Tax Council to help complete their taxes. For more information, visit the Military OneSource Tax Filing Services.
Interested in Helping Others?
If you’re interested in volunteering at a tax site, contact your local EITC partner site.
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here theinformation provided is most usefull
Your “Save on your Taxes” page is somewhat misleading. You refer to the AARP TaxAide program as being available to Seniors. AARP TaxAide is the nations largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation service available to taxpayers with low- and moderate-income, with special attention to those 60 and older. This does not mean that we only serve seniors, but that they may be given priority service at our sites.
A large percentage of our client-taxpayers are EITC-eligible individuals, as well as eligible for CTC and other credits. We proudly provide service to these taxpayers. TaxAide is an IRS sponsored program, administered by AARP TaxAide. Our tax counselors are trained using the same IRS-provided training material and program as the VITA preparers, though often our counselors are trained to a higher level of knowledge of tax law. We have to pass the same annual certification test as VITA volunteers. We also do not have the $49,000 income limit imposed by VITA.
As a 7 year volunteer with the program, I have assisted many low-moderate income individuals who are eligible for EITC, etc., just as my co-volunteers have done. I know there are locations where a VITA site does not exist, or where one may not be convenient to a potential user, but where there are TaxAide sites available to them. We are not in competition with VITA, but feel our programs are complementary (and I believe the intent of the IRS is for that too). I am an active counselor and manage a TaxAide site, and serve on our State Management Team. I say these things to assure you I have a good sense of the TaxAide program.
You may wish to contact our National office at taxaide@aarp.org for more information, or visit our website at http://www.aarp.org/money/taxaide .
Thank you, Frank Hill – a proud TaxAide Volunteer
Frank – Thanks for your clarification regarding TaxAide services. We have included the contact information you provided above for those who wish to learn more.
All the best,
-adam