IRS wants to advise low and no-income eligible individuals and families that normally don't file a tax return that it's not too late to claim pandemic-related tax benefits they may not have previously received or claimed on a tax return, such as the 2021 enhanced Child Tax Credit and the 2020 and 2021 Recovery Rebate Credits in lieu of the Economic Impact Payments. An eligible family of two adults and two young children could receive up to $18,600 in combined refundable credits for 2020 and 2021; that's a lot of money sitting on the table. The IRS attempted to contact more than 9 million individuals and families last fall about these unclaimed credits. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program can assist these low and no-income taxpayers with free preparation and filing to claim these refunds.
Free Tax Return Preparation and Filing
The IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.
VITA and TCE sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations across the country. To locate the nearest VITA site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. For TCE, use the AARP Site Locator Tool or call 1-888-227-7669. There are also VITA Sites Serving Indian Country.
The IRS's Free File Program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and many tax preparation and filing software industry companies who provide their online tax preparation and filing for free. It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:
• Guided Tax Preparation provides free online tax preparation and filing at an IRS partner site. Our partners deliver this service at no cost to qualifying taxpayers. Taxpayers whose AGI is $73,000 or less qualify for a free federal tax return.
• Free File Fillable Forms are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 form. You should know how to prepare your own tax return using form instructions and IRS publications if needed. It provides a free option to taxpayers whose income (AGI) is greater than $73,000.
Also, for those in need of assistance, IRS is offering Saturday hours in April and May. IRS Face-to-Face Saturday Help