For many low- and moderate-income Arkansans, federal tax preparation assistance is available for free at various locations including:
• The Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs by appointments at:
— Weed and Seed, 2315 S. Olive St. or call 536-7274
— Arkansas Community Organization (formerly ACORN) at 121 Main St., or call 536-6300
• Pine Bluff Police Department’s AmeriCorps members will be partnering with Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. at 801 E. Eighth Ave. Residents must call Carolyn Ferguson or Gini Aikens@ 870-543-6300 for an appointment.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Last week, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued a consumer alert informing consumers about their options for tax preparation assistance.
“More than 70 percent of taxpayers can take advantage of the IRS’s Free File program and prepare and file their tax returns at no cost,” McDaniel said. “This allows Arkansas consumers to keep the refunds that they rightfully earned for themselves without paying additional fees to a tax preparation service.”
McDaniel offered these tips to consumers who choose to use a tax preparation service:
• Get estimates from multiple tax preparation services. Prices can vary significantly between services and it is smart to shop for the best rate. You are ultimately responsible for all information submitted to the IRS, so make sure you are comfortable with the reputation and qualifications of the person handling your tax return.
• Make sure your tax preparer has a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which is issued by the IRS. Ask whether the tax preparer is open all year in case you have follow-up questions about your return.
• Taxpayers who earn $57,000 or less in annual adjusted gross income are eligible for the Free File Program. Eligible consumers can visit www.irs.gov/efile, click on “Free File” and choose from a variety of private tax preparation services that will file federal returns at no charge.
• Free return preparation and filing assistance is also offered by the IRS through its VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. Taxpayers who make less than $50,000 annually are generally eligible for help filing federal and state tax returns through the VITA program. Trained volunteers offer help and advice about available tax credits such at the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. VITA sites are located across Arkansas, often at community centers, libraries or schools. To locate the nearest VITA site, call (800) 906-9887 or visit the IRS website, www.irs.gov. The consumer counselors at the Attorney General’s Office also have a list of these sites and can assist you in locating a free tax-prep location near you.
• Free tax-return help is available for those 60 and older through the TCE program. As part of that program, the AARP provides its Tax-Aide counseling services at locations across the state. To find the nearest AARP Tax-Aide location, call (888) 227-7669 visit www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/ on the Internet.
• For members of the military, the Armed Forces Taxes Council provides free VITA program help to service members and their families.
• Goodwill Career Centers in central Arkansas offer free tax preparation assistance. For times and locations, contact Goodwill at (501) 372-5100.
McDaniel encouraged consumers to avoid products like Refund Anticipation Loans, Refund Anticipation Checks and similar products. Such products are high-interest loans secured by the taxpayer’s expected tax refund. The loans aren’t much faster than a refund directly deposited into a bank account by the IRS. An IRS direct deposit takes between eight and 15 days.
For more information about tax-filing options or assistance in locating a free tax-prep location, visit the Attorney General’s website at www.arkansasag.gov or call the Office’s consumer hotline at (501) 682-2341 or (800) 482-8982.