Free Tax Preparation and Filing Help

Last updated on March 24, 2023

Low-income taxpayers, the elderly, the disabled and those who have limited understanding of English may use free tax help from the IRS during the tax season. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) are the two programs offered by the IRS to provide free tax assistance to qualifying taxpayers.

To qualify for tax help through VITA, your income must be $52,000 or less. You will need to bring identification and the necessary tax documents with you. IRS-certified volunteers offer help in tax preparation and also provide assistance in electronic filing of tax returns.

The TCE offers free tax help to all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 years of age and older. At TCE, IRS-certified volunteers provide information about pension plans and retirement-related issues.

The AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, also provides free tax preparation help to the elderly and low-income taxpayers. They have been providing free tax services during the tax season for more than 25 years. To find an AARP tax-aide site in your community, visit AARP’s Tax-Aide locator at AARP.org.

Those taxpayers that cannot use tax software services or hire a tax professional for tax return preparation can use the free help provided by the VITA and TCE programs to learn about the credits they can claim and deductions they can make to limit their tax liability and make sure they receive all the tax benefits offered to them by the government.