The tax season is in full swing, and those who haven’t already filed may be starting to panic.

However, there is no need to panic because the IRS offers free assistance online, via telephone and in person.

Here are four resources to help you find the information that you need to file your taxes this year.

1. CLICK: The IRS website at www.irs.gov contains a wealth of tax information. You can even prepare and file your federal tax return at no cost through Free File.  Free File is a service offered by IRS and its partners who offer free tax preparation software and free electronic filing. You must go to www.irs.gov to use Free File. If you have tax questions, you can also check out 1040 Central on the Individuals page for the latest news. You can even check the status of your refund with Where’s My Refund?

2. CALL: Call the IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals, 800-829-1040, to get answers.  To hear pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics or to check the status of your refund, call 800-829-4477. To order free forms, instructions and publications, call 800-829-3676. TTY/TDD users may call 800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications.

3. GET FREE HELP: Free tax preparation is available through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs in many communities. Volunteer return preparation programs are provided through partnerships between the IRS and community based organizations. They offer free help in preparing simple tax returns for low-to-moderate-income taxpayers. To find a site near you, visit www.irs.gov, or call 800-906-9887. Qualified taxpayers (age 60 or older) can also find help at a local TCE site by visiting www.aarp.org or calling 888-227-7669.

4. VISIT: If you want face-to-face assistance, you can find help at a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. Locations, business hours and an overview of services are available at www.irs.gov. Just go to the Individuals tab and click on the Contact My Local Office link on the left under IRS Resources.

For more information about free services provided by the IRS, review Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services available at www.irs.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

You may also contact an accounting and/or tax professional.

Daniel Stoica Accounting Professional

Did you know that there are clinics available for taxpayers who are considered low-income?  These Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (called LITCs) serve people whose income is below a certain level and who also have a problem with the IRS.  For a small fee, or even sometimes for free, these LITCs are able to provide representation for individuals when they need to deal with the IRS or go to court for audits, tax collection disputes or other issues.

Some clinics are able to provide multilingual information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities for people whose first language is not English.

You can contact your local IRS office or click on this link for more information about these Low Income Taxpayer Clinics.

Individuals are also able to receive free help with preparing tax returns from IRS-trained volunteers.  Two programs are designed to provide tax assistance.  The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helps low-income taxpayers.  The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program helps individuals who are age 60 or older.

Call 1-800-829-1040 to find the nearest VITA or TCE site.

Daniel Stoica Accounting Professional