Free Tax Preparation Service

If you need assistance doing your taxes, the IRS has legions of volunteers that are here to help! The program is called VITA - Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. VITA Representatives are people that have volunteered to help others prepare and file their taxes with the IRS (and their state of residence).

They can't handle everything, in fact they may turn you away and tell you to use a 'paid preparer.' But, if you have 'simple' taxes, like a W-2 and some interest statements, they can definitely get your taxes done for you at no cost!

If you're like me and want to account for every penny, explore each line of a 1040, and actually claim sales tax paid as a deduction instead of income tax paid (if it's worth it), then your best bet is to stick to a paid preparer or software package.

Now, if you're needing someone to gurantee the accuracy of your return, a paid preparer is who you should use. Because their services are free, VITA reps aren't liable for incorrectly filling out your return. They do have several quality review steps that are conducted to ensure that your return is prepared correctly, but it doesn't mean their trying to find your lowest tax bill. Bottom line, if you want someone to help you fill out a 1040EZ, then VITA is probably the way to go. But if your tax return is a little more complicated because of itemized deductions, lots of various sources of income, or a personal business, you are probably better off using a software package like TurboTax or TaxCut or a paid preparer like an accountant.

For more information on the VITA program visit the IRS website for the program. Or call 1-800-829-1040 (1040 - I'm sure no pun is intended) and find a VITA site near you.