A:No, the Internal Revenue Service doesn't offer that kind of help, says Eric Smith, an IRS spokesman. But there are other possibilities worth considering. The IRS works with "several partners" in order to "make sure you have options for free help," he says. Some options: the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or VITA, and Tax Counseling for the Elderly, or TCE.
The VITA program "generally offers free tax help to people who make $51,000 or less and need assistance in preparing their own tax returns," the IRS says. VITA sites, staffed by IRS-certified volunteers, typically can be found in "community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls," military bases and other places.
"The VITA program is excellent," says Caroline D. Ciraolo, a partner at the law firm Rosenberg Martin Greenberg LLP in Baltimore and a long-time VITA volunteer who trains other volunteers at Fort Meade in Maryland.
TCE offers "free tax help for all with priority assistance to people who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement issues unique to seniors," according to the IRS.
For both programs, the IRS "produces training materials and requires that program volunteers pass a certification test." To find a location and other details, go to the IRS site (www.irs.gov) and type "IRS Free Tax Return Preparation" in the search box.
Another option: "Free File," the tax-return preparation and e-filing software offered free by numerous private-sector companies through the IRS site. There are income limits for filing in this manner.
The IRS also offers "online Fillable Forms," an electronic version of its paper forms. "This option is best for people who are comfortable preparing their tax returns but want the advantages of fast, secure and free e-filing," Mr. Smith says. Fillable forms "do only basic math and do not support state tax returns."
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