Ever since the days of the Boston Tea Party, Americans have loathed and feared paying taxes. Fortunately, many sources of help can make income tax time a bit less stressful. Tax clinics, tax software, and on-line assistance are available to taxpayers. If you need help, listed below are some of the options that you can explore to receive assistance and see what best fits your needs.

 

 

The Ohio Earned Income Tax Coalition and its members throughout the state are offering assistance with tax returns.  To find an EITC Coalition in your area, call the Ohio Benefits Bank at (800) 648-1176.

 

Established in 1968 to provide income tax help to older individuals, AARP Tax-Aide offers personal assistance to low- and middle-income persons in order to complete their tax returns. There are more than 200 sites located in Ohio. To find the site closest to you, please visit the AARP web site at: www.aarp.org or call the AARP Ohio Office at (866) 389-5653.
 

 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers this program to help people with low-to-moderate incomes (approximately $39,000 or less in annual income for a family) that need help in preparing their own income tax returns. For more information, or to locate the nearest VITA site, please call (800) 829-1040.
 

 

The IRS has entered into partnership agreements with several companies to promote electronic filing. Free File is a “free federal income tax preparation and electronic filing program for eligible taxpayers, developed through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies.” For more information about on-line help, tax software, or any other tax issues, you can visit the IRS’s web site at: www.irs.gov.

 

The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) coordinates the military-based VITA Program. These sites provide “free tax advice, tax preparation, return filing and other tax assistance to military members and their families.” These sites train workers to address military specific tax issues such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the EITC guidelines. To locate assistance, contact the legal assistance office at the closest military base or visit the U.S. Armed Forces Legal Assistance web site at www.legalassistance.law.af.mil.