Our country follows a progressive tax code, which means you are likely to pay higher taxes as your income increases. Since calculating and filing tax returns every year can be challenging, you can ask for tax help. People who need help with income tax can qualify for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, the IRS also offers free tools to help with income tax returns. Here are some options to turn to if you need tax help.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Through the VITA, the IRS provides tax help to those who earn less than $57,000 a year, have any disability, or are not comfortable speaking or understanding English. These individuals receive assistance from IRS-certified volunteers who explain what tax credits are and even help prepare their tax returns with electronic filing.
Other tax help services by the IRS
Besides the VITA, the IRS offers many more resources for tax help. For instance, if you have problems that need to be addressed in person, you can contact the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center to seek an appointment in their office. You can find the number for the closest center to your home on the IRS website.
In addition, the IRS provides the following services:
- A help center to find helpful information
- An interactive tax assistant to help answer important questions
- A tax preparer to assist with specific tax needs
- Tax calculators and other tools
Besides these, the IRS also has a Taxpayer Advocate Service Office (TAS) to help people with issues bigger than tax filing and returns.
Phone assistance
The IRS also provides a helpline number where you can call in and connect to a representative who specializes in your problem. There is no income limit, and anyone can call any number of times. However, you will need to keep specific information ready, such as your Social Security number, filing status, and the previous year’s tax return.
Legal clinics
If you are in dispute with the IRS over a tax debt and need help paying it off, you can get in touch with Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) for tax help. These clinics provide services that are either free or very low-cost, depending on your income. They have grown to become more popular and reliable than other tax settlement firms.
LITCs are usually run by academic institutions or certain qualified not-for-profit organizations. They fill in for an attorney who would otherwise help you negotiate with the IRS over your outstanding tax debt. You may want to locate one of these clinics in your area and call them first to check the maximum income limit to qualify, the wait times, fees, and the nature of the cases involved. You might have to meet them virtually for the time being due to the pandemic.
Tax filing software
Although the IRS has its own, there are also several free tax help software online. These take care of many steps on your behalf, including calculating your taxes, deductions, credits, and electronic filing. Most of them have a premium version that provides additional features, such as state filing of taxes. Sometimes, it can also take care of other tasks, especially for those who are self-employed.
Since there are many providers in the market, it is best to compare prices before you pick one. We have mentioned some of the best tax help companies below:
- Credit Karma Tax
- FreeTaxUSA
- H&R Block
- TaxAct
- TurboTax
- TaxSlayer
Credit Karma Tax is free of cost, whereas TurboTax is among the best paid services. It offers a comprehensive exploration of tax forms and, at the same time, provides an excellent user experience.
