Benefits with County of San Diego

Free Tax Return Preparation for Qualifying Taxpayers

The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS's) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.

The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns, including

• People who generally make $57,000 or less
• Persons with disabilities
• Limited English-speaking taxpayers

In addition to VITA, the TCE program offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors.

While the IRS manages the VITA and TCE programs, the VITA/TCE sites are operated by IRS partners and staffed by volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. The IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax counseling are often retired individuals associated with nonprofit organizations that receive grants from the IRS.

VITA/TCE services are not only free, they are also a reliable and trusted source for preparing tax returns. All VITA/TCE volunteers who prepare returns must take and pass tax-law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards. This training includes maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of all taxpayer information. In addition to requiring volunteers to certify their knowledge of the tax laws, the IRS requires a quality review check for every return prepared at a VITA/TCE site prior to filing. Each filing season, tens of thousands of dedicated VITA/TCE volunteers prepare millions of federal and state returns. They also assist taxpayers with the preparation of thousands of Facilitated Self-Assistance returns.

Before Your Visit

Before going to a VITA or TCE site, see Publication 3676-B (PDF, Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3676bsp.pdf) for services provided and check out What to Bring (Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.irs.gov/individuals/checklist-for-free-tax-return-preparation) to ensure you have all the required documents and information our volunteers will need to help you. Note: Available services can vary at each site due to the availability of volunteers certified with the tax law expertise required for your return.

Some VITA sites offer Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) service to taxpayers along with their VITA program: Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.irs.gov/individuals/vita-sites-that-offer-caa-services.

Also, visit the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website for information on where to find a bank that can open an account online and how to choose the right account for you: Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.fdic.gov/getbanked/index.html.

Find a VITA or TCE site near you.

VITA and TCE sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations across the country. To locate the nearest VITA or TCE site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool at Link opens in a new windowhttps://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep, or call 800-906-9887.

When looking for a TCE site, keep in mind that a majority of the TCE sites are operated by the AARP Foundation's Tax Aide program. To locate the nearest AARP TCE Tax-Aide site between January and April use the AARP Site Locator Tool at Link opens in a new windowhttps://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html, or call 888-227-7669. Attention: The locator is updated regularly from February through April.

At select tax sites, taxpayers also have an option to prepare their own basic federal and state tax return for free using web-based tax preparation software with an IRS-certified volunteer to help guide you through the process. This option is only available at locations that list "Self-Prep" in the site listing.