You are here: Home Finances Taxes For People ... Getting Help ... Getting Tax Information ...
Information about all aspects of finances affected by a serious health condition. Includes income sources such as work, investments, and private and government disability programs, and expenses such as medical bills, and how to deal with financial problems.
Information about all aspects of health care from choosing a doctor and treatment, staying safe in a hospital, to end of life care. Includes how to obtain, choose and maximize health insurance policies.
Answers to your practical questions such as how to travel safely despite your health condition, how to avoid getting infected by a pet, and what to say or not say to an insurance company.

Getting Help Preparing Your Tax Return

Getting Tax Information On Your Own

Next » « Previous

2/5

Whether preparing your own return or checking a return prepared by someone else, you can get information and assistance by visiting various websites, using software, taking courses, or contacting the Internal Revenue Service.

Websites

Here's a short list of some of the websites we've found particularly useful in understanding the tax code:

  • www.irs.gov offsite link: Surprisingly, the IRS has a great website. You can download just about all of their forms and publications, read the "Digital Daily" (a newsletter on new IRS and tax code happenings), and access their help page at http://www.irs.gov/help/email.html offsite link, where you can e-mail a question to the IRS to receive an answer in writing. Keep in mind however that even though the opinion is in writing, it's only binding on the IRS to the extent that if the advice is incorrect, you cannot be penalized for following it.
  • www.taxprophet.com offsite link: Lots of information in a fun, easy-to-use format. Be sure to check the "tax class" section, which indexes articles by subject and difficulty.
  • www.1040.com offsite link: This site has easy access to downloadable forms.
  • www.unclefed.com offsite link Downloadable tax forms, preparation assistance, and a good section on audit-proofing your return. The site also includes guides to daily record keeping, and excerpts of IRS guidelines to its agents on selecting audit targets.

Software

With the ever-improving quality of tax-preparation software and decrease in its price, software for home computer use is increasingly common. Most programs walk you through your return step by step, interview you to make sure you avoid overlooking deductions, and have an "audit buster" feature that will tell you how the amount of deductions you claim compares to those of others in your income bracket. Of course, if you have a large itemized medical deduction, it might not mean much if your deductions are out of range. Just be sure to have documentation to support all of your deductions.

If you consider purchasing a tax software program:

  • Read the package carefully to see what features the product includes. You may not need a certain feature (such as the ability to link to your state income tax forms if you live in a state that doesn't have state income tax) or the product might be lacking something you'd find helpful (like a video guide to speak information to you versus your having to read it.)
  • Check each program's operating system requirements to make sure your computer can handle them. Bear in mind that the requirements listed are minimum requirements. To use the program comfortably, you should probably have a computer with a processor at least one notch beyond the minimum requirement.

Two of the more common tax preparation software are:

  • H & R Block's Tax Cut: Available at http://www.hrblock.com/taxes/products/software/index.html. The site also has an option to prepare and file your return online for a fee.
  • TurboTax: Made by Intuit, the publisher of the popular personal financial planning software Quicken, TurboTax is available at http://turbotax.intuit.com/. TurboTax also allows you to complete and file your return online.

Courses

Available courses vary from quick overview seminars to full in-depth courses.

Before signing up for any course, check the skills and experience of the provider.

For an in depth understanding of taxes, you might consider taking a tax-preparation course. H&R Block http://www.hrblock.com/taxes/planning/tax_courses/index.html) has a very comprehensive course covering the fundamentals, but don't expect it to be something to while away an afternoon. It's 66 hours of class time!

More limited courses are available through local community colleges, local disease specific nonprofit organizations, or adult education centers. As filing time approaches, chances are they'll offer at least a seminar (perhaps free of charge) giving you some preparation tips.

The IRS also has a tax-class called "Taxes and You." It teaches participants how taxes affect people and the economy and how to interpret and prepare tax forms. According to the IRS "By learning how to pay only what is owed, managing personal finances will become a lot easier." To find out more about the course, call the IRS office in your area and ask for the Taxpayer Education Coordinator.

Internal Revenue Service

In addition to accessing the IRS' website, you can also call the IRS at 800.829.1040. While advice from a person at the IRS is no defense if the information you put on your return is incorrect, the IRS must waive any penalties resulting from inaccurate advice they give you. When you call, be sure to make a note of

  • The name of the person with whom you speak.
  • The date.
  • The substance of the conversation, including a note on the source of the person's information (such as the title and date of a tax ruling.)

You can also access IRS information on the IRS website (www.irs.gov), or through the following outlets:

  • IRS CD-ROM: Publication 1796, Federal Tax Products on CD-ROM contains all current and prior year tax publications and forms. You can purchase it by calling toll free 877.233.6767 or online at www.irs.gov/cdorders offsite link. It costs less (only $21 including shipping and handling) when ordered through the Internet.
  • TELETAX: You can listen to recorded tax information on approximately 150 recorded topics by calling TeleTax at 800.829.4477. For the directory of topics, press #123. Make sure you have a paper and pen handy to jot down the numbers of the topics you're interested in and notes on the topics themselves.
  • Community Based Outlet Programs: The IRS distributes forms at most Post Offices, Libraries, copy centers and office supply forms, credit unions and even grocery stores.
  • Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE): More accurately, this program provides free tax help to people age 60 and older through AARP which offers a Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 10,000 sites nationwide during the tax-filing season. Trained with IRS materials and certified by an IRS examination, AARP Tax-Aide volunteers can help with most tax circumstances faced by low and moderate-income taxpayers. Younger taxpayers are also helped as counselor-time permits. To find an AARP Tax-Aide volunteer, call 888-AARPNOW or visit www.aarp.org offsite link. You do not need to be an AARP member to use this service.
  • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: The VITA program offers free tax help to people who can't afford paid assistance. Volunteers trained by the IRS help prepare basic tax returns for taxpayers with special needs - including people with disabilities. For information about a volunteer in your area, call IRS tax assistance at 800.829.1040.
  • The IRS even has a publication on ways to get information. It's called the "Guide to Free Tax Services" and is available by calling the IRS or online at http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p910.pdf. offsite link

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments

 

Post a Comment Have something to add to this topic? Contact Us.

Characters remaining:

  • Allowed markup: <a> <i> <b> <em> <u> <s> <strong> <code> <pre> <p>
    All other tags will be stripped.