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Free Tax Assistance Sites

Free Tax Assistance

Free Tax Assistance Sites

Last updated 4/24/13 @ 3:20 PM

The deadline to file 2012 taxes is Monday, April 15.

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.

You can ask general tax questions by calling the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-1040, or by going to the IRS Office at 22 North Front Street, Suite 400, Memphis, TN, Tuesday through Thursday, beginning at 8:30 AM.    Taxpayers with disabilities, or complex ongoing tax issues can make an appointment for assistance at the Memphis IRS office; leave a message at 901-544-3243. 
 
The IRS will begin accepting 2012 electronic AND paper tax filing on January 30, 2013. The majority of tax filers should be able to file begining on that date; however, more complex tax returns may not be accepted until a later date due to changes in the tax code. Tax payers who need to use one or more of the folowing forms must wait until late February or early March to file this year: www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/List-of-IRS-forms-that-1040-filers-can-begin-filing-in-late-February-or-into-March-2013 . For more information, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
 
You can also find tax information online at www.irs.gov.   Many tax forms have been ordered by all Memphis Public Library & Information Center locations.   HOWEVER, MANY TAX FORMS HAVE BEEN DELAYED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN THE TAX LAW. Some 2012 tax forms you need may not yet be available at your local library.  Your  library locations are dependent on the IRS to send the forms. Call the location before you go to check on availability of the forms you need.
 

2013 VITA & AARP  SITES
FOR TAX YEAR 2012

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THESE SITES ARE FREQUENTLY QUITE BUSY AND MAY FILL UP FAST.   SITES MAY HAVE A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THEY CAN ASSIST EACH DAY.   SOME SITES TAKE APPOINTMENTS (NOTED BELOW); OTHERS ARE "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED" BASED ON THEIR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND CAPACITY FOR THE DAY.

SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
22 N Front St, Suite 400
Memphis, TN 38103
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.

All of the AARP and VITA sites providing free tax assistance sites for the 2012 tax year have closed.  For assistance with federal income tax issuess, please contact the Internal Review Service (see above).  

 TAX FORMS:

MANY TAX FORMS HAVE BEEN DELAYED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN THE TAX LAW.  Some 2012 tax forms may be available at Memphis Public Library & Information Center locations - but remember that library locations are dependent on the IRS to send the forms.  Call the location to check on availability of the forms you need.  Also, copies of many tax forms can be made from the IRS Reproducible Notebook available at Memphis Public Library locations once that is sent from the IRS.  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 

You can also file your return yourself. through a website supported by United Way at  www.myfreetaxes.com/uwmidsouth.  The income limit for My Free Taxes is $57,000.00.

Eligibility:

Tennessee residents who got state unemployment benefits last year can access online the forms they need (1099-G) for income tax purposes at  www.tennessee.gov/labor-wfd .
Benefit recipients can access the forms by entering their birth date or the PIN they used to certify or inquire on their unemployment claim.  The department also began mailing the 1099-G forms to benefit reicipients in mid-January. 


 

VITA volunteers provide free federal income tax preparation/filing assistance for individuals and families, generally with household income of $51,000 or less.   No appointment is necessary for the general VITA site at the South Branch Library.  However, 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 Mobile VITA locations. Each appointment will be for 30 minutes. They will e-file returns each day.

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.  Ask the VITA Site Coordinator if your VITA site will do prior year tax returns.

AARP volunteers provide free federal income tax preparation/filing assistance to all but give preference to seniors age 60 and above.  No appointment is necessary.

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 800–829–4477, or go to www.irs.gov and click on "Refunds."

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 1-800-906-9887.  or just call us ar 2-1-1.

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).

If preparing your own taxes using paper forms:

Click on the following link for where to send completed 2012 tax returns: 
www.irs.gov/uac/Where-to-File-Paper-Tax-Returns---With-or-Without-a-Payment

Click on Taxpayers and tax professionals - Where to send individual tax returns .  Then click on the map on the state where you are filing (e.g., TN).  You wuill see a chart that will display the correct mailing addresses for each type of return, with and without payment.

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 www.tn.gov/revenue/  and  www.state.tn.us/revenue/faqs/indincome.shtml 
or call 1-800-342-1003 Monday through Friday, 8 AM-4:30 PM.   

For information on filing Mississippi Income Taxes and forms go to  www.dor.ms.gov/taxareas/individ/main.html  or call 601-923-7089.

For information on filing Arkansas Income Taxes and forms, go to http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/offices/incomeTax/individual/Pages/default.aspx 
or call 501-682-1100.