Tucson-area sites offer free tax help

Catholic Community Services, the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, and the Internal Revenue Service are offering free tax preparation to many Tucson metropolitan area residents for both federal and Arizona tax returns that can be electronically filed.

Free tax help will be available starting Wednesday through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance or the Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs for those with income of $60,000 or less, seniors, the disabled or those who use English as a second language.

Tax-prep volunteers are certified through the IRS VITA/TCE program to prepare basic tax returns, provide information on the Earned Income Tax Credit and other credits, deductions and allowable expenses, and to electronically file taxes at no charge.

Assistance also is available for taxpayers who need to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN. The sites will not help with business tax returns or complex individual income tax returns.

Taxpayers seeking free tax help should bring all the pertinent documents, including photo identification for themselves and their spouses, Social Security Numbers or Individual Tax Identification Numbers for each person listed on the tax return, all wage and earnings statements (Forms W-2); interest, dividend or miscellaneous income or mortgage interest paid statements (Forms 1099 or 1098); if applicable, Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement; any other 2014 income and expense documentation and a copy of last year’s tax return.

If filing jointly, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

This year, some Tucson-area tax help sites are offering a drop-off service in which taxpayers can go to a help site during normal business hours and drop off their tax information to avoid waiting in line. Volunteers will complete the returns within three business days, and clients will be called when they are ready to set up a time for a review and electronic filing.