Good morning, all,
I hope you are well. These are some go-to resources for the filing season.
Tax Season Readiness Presentation with the Taxpayer Advocate Service
Colorado Legal Services is partnering with the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service to offer a virtual Filing Season Readiness Presentation on January 27th at noon. More information is available in the attached flyer.
Tax Filing Resources:
The IRS SPEC unit gathered the attached list of tax preparation sites that offer free, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparation. It is separated by the geographic area of CLS offices. As sites open, the IRS will also update their search tool at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers
Free Tax Preparation Software offered by United Way at myfreetaxes.com
The United Way provides free federal and state tax software for people who made less than $73,000 in 2021. This year, the United Way is offering the TaxSlayer interview-based tax preparation software.
Free Tax Preparation through GetYourRefund
GetYourRefund is a national VITA site that offers virtual tax preparation by text and email. TaxHelpCO, a program of the United Way, is one of their Colorado partners. It is a great resource for free tax preparation in rural areas. GetYourRefund is available for families who earned less than $66,000 in 2021.
General Tax Season Tips:
- Some free tax preparation sites are only open during filing season (January-April). As such, there are more appointments available this time of year.
- IRS starts accepting electronically filed tax returns on January 24th.
- Due to the PATH Act, the IRS cannot begin processing returns with the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit until February 15th. Thus, these returns aren’t usually received until the first week of March.
- Wait until you receive all your tax forms before you file.
- Tax filing deadline is April 18th this year.
- Electronically filed returns process significantly quicker than paper filed returns. The IRS still has 6 million unprocessed tax returns.
- Individuals affected by the Boulder fires have until May 16, 2022 to file their returns.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/for-colorado-wildfire-victims-irs-extends-2021-tax-filing-deadline-other-deadlines-to-may-16
- Tax Tips for Survivors of Domestic Violence
https://www.taxoutreach.org/blog/tax-tips-for-survivors-of-domestic-violence/
Refer clients to the LITC
You can also refer clients to the LITC. Here are some instances when you may refer a client to the LITC:
- If the IRS has kept any of their refunds.
- If they have federal income tax liability.
- If they have received a notice or letter from the IRS.
- If they haven’t received all of their stimulus payments or advanced child tax credit payments.
The Lower Income Taxpayer Clinics regularly shares information on CLS’s social media pages. You can watch those for ongoing tax tips throughout the season.
