Tax season is officially open, with more people filing in January and February than at any other time of the year, according to the IRS.
More Americans are expected to file quickly, in part to pursue a refund. The average refund last year was $2,753, an all-time high.
If you need help with your return — and the IRS says 80 percent of Americans do — there are plenty of places to go for either quick answers or detailed free help in filing forms.
Don’t forget that with electronic filing and automatic deposit, your refund can be in your bank account in as little as 10 days. So don’t buy into those high-cost refund-anticipation loans pushed by some tax preparers.
Also, remember that if you owe taxes, you can file now and set up an automatic draft from your bank account April 15. So there’s no need to wait until the last minute to file.
Here are six resources for free tax help and filing. Most don’t have income limits, but some are limited by the complexity of your return.
AARP Tax-Aide
This program, for all ages and income levels, starts at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Fort Worth’s Southwest Regional Library, 4001 Library Lane, just off Hulen Street north of Interstate 20. According to Dan Murphy, a coordinator of the program for Tarrant County, it is offered at almost 40 sites throughout the tax season, including most library branches in Fort Worth, all library branches in Arlington, and at libraries and senior centers in other cities.
Nearly 150 local volunteers, trained in a 30-hour tax class sponsored by AARP and tested and certified by the IRS, work in this program. It’s the nation’s largest no-cost, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service, aiding more than 11,000 taxpayers last year, Murphy said. Electronic filing is included. Tax filers are encouraged to sign up by phone or in person, but walk-ins are also welcome.
For locations and other information, call 888- 227-7669 or go to www.aarp.org/money/taxaide. You can also submit tax questions via the Web site.
VITA
Families earning $49,000 or less a year and armed services members can use the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for form preparation and electronic filing by trained volunteers certified by the IRS. This program begins Monday at the Community Tax Center in the Shadow Brook Apartments in Arlington, 2020 S. Cooper St. The center is sponsored by the nonprofit Foundation Communities, which offers affordable housing and services to the community. The tax service is available in English and Spanish, and no appointment is necessary at this location, but one may be required at other VITA offices.
Dozens of VITA sites throughout North Texas are scheduled to be open by Feb. 1. Locations are listed with the IRS at 800-829-1040 and with 211 operators.
IRS Free File
This interview-based tax software program sponsored by the IRS is available from 19 software companies, including TurboTax and H&R Block, to anyone with an adjusted gross income of up to $57,000, which includes about 70 percent of Americans. Twenty-five million people have used the program since it began in 2003.
In an IRS survey last year, 96 percent of users said Free File was easy to use, and 98 percent said they would recommend the program to others. Three of the software products are in Spanish.
IRS.gov offers tax forms that can be filled out online and publications at www.irs.gov. This is the second year that most IRS forms and schedules are available and can be filled out and filed online, said Dallas IRS spokesman Clay Sanford. To access the software, go to www.IRS.gov and click on the "Free File" icon on the right.
Last year, 167,785 filers used the new Free File Fillable Forms by March 31, the latest data available. The forms are available for all income levels but do not include the tax advice available in software programs.
Although providers are numerous, many have various restrictions on who can get the service. For example, many exclude Texans because there is no state income tax (which would give the provider an extra service to sell). Others have age and income restrictions.
One provider, ezTaxReturn.com, is the only one with a $57,000 income limit, no age limit and open to Texans. Several other companies offer basic forms directly from their Web sites.
Free software
TurboTax offers online tax preparation software for 1040EZ and other simple returns at www.turbotax.intuit.com. All programs include electronic filing. H&R Block offers a similar deal for 1040EZ and other simple forms at www.hrblock.com.
Free advice and forms
During January, taxpayers can get advice from the experts at TurboTax. Submit a question at www.FreeTaxQuestion.com, and you’ll receive a personal call back at a time you request.
I tried this service last week with a question about my health savings account. Within two hours I received a call from a tax adviser. His advice was right on the money, and no doubt easier to obtain than by calling the IRS.
The IRS, incidentally, has set a target for 2010 of answering 71 percent of calls from taxpayers who want to speak to someone about account questions, down from 83 percent in 2007, according to Nina Olson, national taxpayer advocate.
"In other words, the IRS is planning to be unable to answer about three of every 10 calls it receives," Olson said in a news release.
H&R Block offers a similar service in which consumers can post a question at getitright. hrblock.com and get a response from an H&R Block tax adviser. Tax questions can also be taken by H&R Block’s free phone application for iPhones.
Tax preparer coupons
Jackson Hewitt has a coupon for $20 off any service at www.jacksonhewitt.com. It can be printed or sent to your phone to retrieve when you are at the company’s office. The coupon is good through Dec. 31.
H&R Block offers 10 percent off all digital tax preparation products when you sign up for e-mails at its Web site. If you use any of the national tax preparation chains, be sure to check online for a coupon before you visit an office.
When Americans file January/February…56 million
March…21.6 million
April…53.9 million
October*…9.9 million
Total…141.4 million
*Deadline when using a six-month extension
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