Income Tax Help

"The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." - Albert Einstein

Ever since the days of the Boston Tea Party, Americans have loathed and feared paying taxes. Fortunately, many sources of help can make income tax time a bit less stressful. Tax clinics, tax software, and on-line assistance are available to taxpayers. If you need help, listed below are some of the options that you can explore to get some help and see what best fits your needs.

City of Columbus

The City of Columbus Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, the City of Columbus, and several other sponsors are offering assistance with tax returns. For more information, or to schedule an appointment for free tax preparation, please call 614-645-7309.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

The IRS offers this program to help people with low-to-moderate incomes (approximately $36,000 or less in annual income) who need help in preparing their own income tax returns. For more information, or to locate the nearest VITA site, please call 1-800-829-1040.

AARP Tax-Aide

Established in 1968 to provide income tax help to older individuals, AARP Tax-Aide offers personal assistance to low- and middle-income persons in order to complete their tax returns. There are currently 23 sites located in the Central Ohio Area. To find the site closest to you, please visit the AARP website at: https://wpp.aarp.org/vmis/sites/taxaide_locator.jsp or call the AARP Ohio Office at 614-224-9800. You also may e-mail specific questions to: taxaide@aarp.org.

Franklin County EITC Coalition Offers Free Tax Preparation for EITC Eligible Filers

Households earning less than $38,348 in 2006 can call 2-1-1 to find out if they are eligible to receive a tax credit of up to $4,536 Thousands of central Ohio residents are not receiving their maximum federal tax refund, but they can with the help of free tax preparation services. That is the message of the Franklin County EITC Coalition, a new group formed to provide free tax preparation services to low and moderate income working families who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax credits.

E-File Assistance

The IRS has entered into partnership agreements with several companies to promote electronic filing. This preferred method for filing your income taxes is both more convenient for taxpayers and at the same time makes the IRS more efficient in handling its workload during its peak season. Listed below are just a few of the companies involved. For a complete list of these companies, or for more information about on-line help, tax software, or any other tax issues, you can visit the IRS's website at: www.irs.gov