VITA – Free Tax Preparation
Is your 2022 household income $60,000 or less?
Are you a taxpayer that is 60 years or older?
If so, you may be eligible for FREE tax preparation and e-filing of federal and state income tax returns by IRS certified and trained volunteers.
The 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, offering free tax help to: people who generally make $60,000 or less, persons with disabilities; and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.
- 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.
Call 2-1-1 (888.421.1266) or 251.219.0606 for a tax preparation site near you or click here to schedule an appointment online!
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.
All of the VITA tax preparation sites are provided to the United Way of Southwest Alabama free of charge. We thank them for their donation and support of this very important program. We also thank the other organizations that provide office supplies and other program materials.
IRS Online Tools
Where’s My Refund?
“Where’s My Refund?” is updated once daily, usually overnight, so there’s no reason to check more than once per day or call the IRS to get information about a refund. Taxpayers can easily find the most up-to-date information about their tax refund using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov and on the official IRS mobile app, IRS2Go. Taxpayers can start checking on the status of their refund within 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an e-filed return, or four weeks after a paper return is mailed. Where’s My Refund? tool has a tracker that displays progress through three stages:
-
- Return received,
- Refund approved, and
- Refund sent.
IRS2Go
IRS2Go is the official mobile app of the IRS allowing users to check their refund status, make a payment, find free tax preparation assistance, access and use Free File, plus more! The app is free on Google Play, the Apple store and Amazon. It is available in both English and Spanish.
Use IRS2Go first for information and self-service resources to:
- Find free face-to-face help (if you qualify) at a VITA/TCE site
- Check Where’s My Refund?
- Use the Free File Software Lookup Tool
- Subscribe to IRS Tax Tips, view IRS YouTube videos and follow the IRS on social media
- Use Direct Pay or make a debit or credit card payment
Online Account
Online Account allows individual taxpayers to access certain account information and tools via self-service online at IRS.gov/account, including:
- The amount you owe, updated for the current calendar day
- Your balance details by year
- Your payment history and any scheduled or pending payments
- Key information from your most recent tax return, including your Adjusted Gross Income
- Payment plan details, if you have one
- Digital copies of select notices from the IRS
- Your Economic Impact Payments (EIP 1 and EIP 2), if any
From Online Account you can also:
- Make a payment online
- See payment plan options and request a plan via Online Payment Agreement
Access your tax records via Get Transcript Make note that your balance will update no more than once every 24 hours, usually overnight. Check or money order payments may take up to 3 weeks to appear in your account.