Free Tax Assistance Sites

Free Tax Assistance Sites

Last updated - 4/20/2012 @ 4:15 PM.

The deadline to file 2011 taxes is Tuesday, April 17.

Information about tax sites is generally available on this site and through calling 2-1-1 each year during the tax filing season.

Please see "Eligibility" at the end of the list for details about eligibility for free tax assistance/filing, and for information on the impact of recent legislation on refunds.  Many of the walk-in sites are quite busy and fill up quickly.  You may wish to arrive early.  All VITA sites do electronic filing onsite.

2012 VITA & AARP  SITES

SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
22 N Front St, Suite 400
Memphis, TN 
MON - FRI 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Tax assistance provided by IRS staff on walk-in basis TUE, WED and THU ONLY.
CLOSED on all federal holidays.
For telephone assistance, call IRS national toll-free assistance line 1-800-829-1040.  Taxpayers with disabilities, or with complex tax issues, can make an appointment at the Memphis IRS office; leave a message at 901-544-3243.

38116

SOUTHLAND MALL/DHS SUPER SITE (VITA)
1300 Southland Mall
Memphis, TN
Jan 17 - April 20
Final week schedule:
FRI, April 20  2 - 6 PM
WALK-IN

OTHER COUNTIES - MISSISSIPPI

ADDITIONAL VITA ASSISTANCE
April 19 - October 2012
Contact Paul Garrity at 662-292-0844 to schedule free tax preparation assistance.

TAX FORMS:

Some 2012 tax forms may still be available at Memphis Public Library & Information Center locations; call the location to check.  Also, copies of many tax forms can be made from the IRS Reproducible Notebook available at Memphis Public Library locations.  Many tax forms can also be found on the IRS website at www.irs.gov or through calling the IRS at 1-800-829-3676.

There are numerous free options available to obtain tax products, tax preparation and assistance in filing tax returns.  These include the free tax preparation and filing services provided through VITA and AARP listed below, and information from the IRS on free tax software, online forms and free e-filing: http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

Eligibility:

VITA volunteers provide free federal income tax preparation/filing assistance for individuals and families, generally with household income of $50,000 or less.   VITA volunteers do not prepare Rental Income, Farm Income, Military Income (unless a military site), Complicated or Advanced Schedule D, Profit or Loss from a Business (Schedule C), Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses, Adoption Credits, Sale of Property, such as home or stocks, Foreign Earned Income or Moving Expenses.

Many VITA sites do not do prior year tax returns.  If done, they are only done in March.  Ask the VITA Site Coordinator if your VITA site will do prior year tax returns in March.

Mobile VITA Sites have VITA tax assistance ONLY on the dates and times shown.  Members of the public should make appointments either in person or by phone for these locations.  Each appointment will be for 30 minutes.  There will be two VITA tax preparers each day.  They will e-file returns each day.

AARP volunteers provide free federal income tax preparation/filing assistance to all but give preference to seniors age 60 and above.

Items to bring to the VITA/AARP site to have your tax return prepared

• Proof of identification
• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter for you, your spouse and dependents
• Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available
• Bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit
• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number)
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

For information on the status of tax refunds:

Taxpayers can generally get information about the status of refunds 72 hours after IRS acknowledges receipt of an e-filed return, or three to four weeks after mailing a paper return.

Call the Refund Hotline at 800–829–1954, or go to www.irs.gov and click on "Check on Your Refund" under "Online Services".

Taxpayers will need to provide the following information from the tax return:

• Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
• Filing Status
• Exact whole dollar amount of the expected refund

Federal legislation passed in December 2010 means that 1) tax refunds will not be counted as income in computing eligibility for federally-funded programs (such as AFDC, food stamps, etc.) and 2) tax refunds which are put into savings will not be counted in the ongoing eligibility tests for such programs for a full 12 months.  These new rules are effective for 2010 through 2012 and are included in PL 111-312, Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Sec. 728.

For more information and to locate the nearest VITA site, go to
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=107626,00.html or call 1-800-829-1040.

For more information and to locate the nearest AARP site, go to
https://locator.aarp.org/vmis/sites/tax_aide_locator.jsp or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).

Some tax forms may still be ailable at Memphis Public Library locations.  Many tax forms can also be found on the IRS website at www.irs.gov or through calling the IRS at 1-800-829-3676.

If preparing your own taxes using paper forms:

TN residents should see the following link for where to send completed tax forms:

www.irs.gov/file/article/0,,id=104550,00.html

MS residents should see the following link for where to send completed tax forms:

www.irs.gov/file/article/0,,id=104556,00.html

AR residents should see the following link for where to send completed tax forms:

www.irs.gov/file/article/0,,id=104547,00.html

Other federal income tax questions? 

Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.  You can also contact the AARP at http://www.aarp.org/money/taxaide/taxcounseling/ask_tax_question.html for email responses to tax questions.

For Information on filing Tennessee Income Taxes and forms go to:

http://www.tennessee.gov/revenue/forms/indinc/index.htm .

 For information on filing Mississippi Income Taxes and forms go to:

http://www.dor.ms.gov/taxareas/individ/main.htm .

 For information on filing Arkansas Income Taxes and forms, go to:

http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/incomeTax/individual/Pages/default.aspx