VITA and TCE — free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers

What this actually is

A real person prepares and files your return, in person, for nothing. VITA has done this for over fifty years; TCE is the same thing aimed at older filers. The volunteers are not amateurs — the IRS requires every volunteer who prepares returns to pass tax-law training meeting or exceeding IRS standards, and every return gets a quality review before it is filed. This is the answer for anyone about to pay $200 or more at a storefront preparer, and it is the answer for prior-year returns too. Bring photo ID, Social Security cards for everyone on the return, and every income form you have. Locator: https://freetaxassistance.for.irs.gov/s/sitelocator or 800-906-9887. AARP Tax-Aide sites: 888-227-7669.

Who qualifies, and what trips people up

VITA is for people who generally make $69,000 or less, people with disabilities, and people with limited English. TCE prioritises filers 60 and over, with emphasis on pensions and retirement questions. What trips people up: sites are seasonal and appointment slots fill in February — call in January. Individual sites also decline unusually complex returns (rental property, complicated self-employment), so ask when you book.