courtesy of DailyCaring.com

You barely have time to do your taxes, much less help your older adult. Did you know the IRS provides free tax preparation help for seniors?

We bet you barely have time to do your own taxes, much less help your older adult with theirs (ugh). That makes it the perfect time to get free tax preparation help from IRS-certified volunteers.

Senior Taxes Can Be Confusing

Tax returns for seniors are complex because many have pensions, pre-death life insurance benefits, IRA or 401K savings, etc., which can make filing more complicated. Rather than struggle on your own, you can get expert help from an IRS-sponsored tax center at no charge.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, especially those 60 years or older. They specialize in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues that are common to seniors.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who make $60,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and limited English-speaking taxpayers. For those who qualify, IRS-certified volunteers help with basic income tax return preparation and electronic filing.

Find a Local TCE or VITA Center

Use this locator tool to find a TCE or VITA center near you. It shows information about the facility and details like what languages are offered and whether or not you’ll need an appointment.

3 things to do before your TCE or VITA visit:

1. Before going to TCE or VITA for tax help, check here to ensure the services you need are offered.
2. You might also want to call ahead to make sure your local TCE or VITA center offers the specific services for your senior’s situation. Because they depend on volunteer expertise, they can’t guarantee having every service at every location.
3. You should also check out the more detailed What To Bring page to make sure you have all the required documents and information the volunteers will need to help you.

Bottom line

These are IRS programs and the volunteers are IRS-certified, so you can feel confident that you and your older adult are getting qualified tax help.

Getting expert help with taxes saves time, effort, and headache on a time-consuming chore. That gives you some extra time you can spend recharging your own batteries.

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Reviewed February 2024

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