Pay Someone or Pay Nothing: Free IRS Tax Help with VITA and TCE

Questions this episode answers

Key facts

• VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly) are IRS programs. Sites are run by IRS partners and staffed by IRS-certified volunteers (IRS).
• The IRS says many sites help people who generally make about $70,244 or less (estimated), persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers. Services vary by site (IRS). Source: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers
• The IRS says TCE offers free tax help to people age 60 or older, with a focus on pensions and retirement questions (IRS).
• The IRS requires a quality review check for every return prepared at a VITA or TCE site before filing (IRS).
• Use the IRS VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. Most TCE sites are run by AARP Foundation Tax-Aide. Their locator or 888-227-7669 works January to April (IRS).
• Bring an original photo ID, Social Security cards or ITIN documents for everyone on the return, all W-2s and 1099s, and a copy of last year's return, among other items (IRS).
• Avoid preparers who base fees on a percentage of your refund or deposit your refund into their own accounts. Never sign a blank tax form. Paid preparers must have a PTIN (IRS).
• The IRS says Free File has closed and to check back January 2027 (IRS).

Chapters

1. 00:00Voicemail: Rosa, 62, asks if free IRS tax help is real
2. 00:31Show open and AI voices note
3. 00:49Last time: Pell Grants, no age limit
4. 00:58Pay someone, or pay nothing
5. 01:20Welcome to Your Daily Benefit
6. 01:22What VITA is and who it serves
7. 01:48TCE for people 60 and older
8. 02:11On the street: what people think
9. 02:58Three fixes
10. 03:34How to find a site
11. 04:02What to bring
12. 04:16IRS Free File timing
13. 04:25Benefit Bull helps you look
14. 04:38The answer for Rosa
15. 04:55Next time

Find help

• Full episode page with transcript
• All Your Daily Benefit episodes
• Free IRS tax help: VITA and TCE (Benefit Bull guide)

Benefit Bull helps you find programs. You always file yourself or with the program's volunteers. Benefit Bull never prepares or files taxes for anyone. Benefit Bull is free, always.

Sources

Full transcript

1. 00:00

   Rosa (voicemail): Hi, um. This is Rosa, in Tucson. I'm sixty two, I work part time at a pharmacy. Last year I paid a guy at a strip mall to do my taxes, and he took his fee right out of my refund. It was, um, a lot. My neighbor says there's free help, from the IRS? Is that real, or is it a scam? And would they even help somebody like me? Okay. Thank you.

2. 00:31

   Nayva: More Benefits with No BS.

3. 00:34

   AI voices note: Quick note, the voices on Your Daily Benefit are AI generated.

4. 00:39

   Nayva: Rosa, in Tucson. Two questions. Is free tax help from the IRS real? And would they help her? Hang on to those. Drew, catch us up first?

5. 00:49

   Drew: Last time, Pell Grants. Too old, or right on time? No age limit. And the form for next fall is open now.

6. 00:58

   Nayva: Today, taxes. Pay someone, or pay nothing?

7. 01:02

   Drew: Pay someone. That's what most people figure.

8. 01:05

   Nayva: And that's the catch. The IRS has two programs. VITA, and T C E. The IRS says they offer free basic tax return preparation.

9. 01:16

   Drew: Okay. VITA and T C E.

10. 01:20

    Nayva: This is Your Daily Benefit.

11. 01:22

    Drew: So what is VITA, exactly?

12. 01:24

    Nayva: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. The sites are run by IRS partners, in places like community centers, libraries, and schools.

13. 01:33

    Drew: And who's it for?

14. 01:35

    Nayva: The IRS says many sites help people who generally make about seventy thousand two hundred forty four dollars or less. Estimated. Plus people with disabilities, and people who speak limited English.

15. 01:48

    Drew: And T C E?

16. 01:50

    Nayva: Tax Counseling for the Elderly. The IRS says it offers free tax help to people sixty and older. They know pensions and retirement questions.

17. 01:59

    Drew: So Rosa, sixty two, part time.

18. 02:03

    Nayva: She may qualify. But every site sets what it can do, based on which volunteers are certified for which returns.

19. 02:11

    Drew: Okay, before we answer Rosa. I took a mic outside and asked people about free tax help. Take a listen.

20. 02:21

    Drew (on the street): Hey, sorry, real quick. Have you heard of VITA? Free tax help?

21. 02:25

    Man on the street: Vita? Like the, uh, vitamins? No. I just go to the place by the bus stop.

22. 02:32

    Drew (on the street): Okay. Thank you, sir.

23. 02:36

    Drew (on the street): Hi, excuse me. If it's free, who's doing your taxes?

24. 02:40

    Woman on the street: Um, probably some student? Like, I wouldn't trust that. Nobody checks it, right?

25. 02:45

    Drew (on the street): Okay, okay.

26. 02:47

    Drew (on the street): Sir, one more. Is it okay if the tax guy takes his fee out of your refund?

27. 02:52

    Second man on the street: I mean, yeah? That's how everybody does it. You don't pay up front.

28. 02:56

    Drew (on the street): Appreciate you. Have a good one.

29. 02:58

    Nayva: Okay. Three fixes. One. Who does the work. IRS certified volunteers. They have to certify their knowledge of the tax law.

30. 03:09

    Drew: Two. Does anybody check it?

31. 03:11

    Nayva: Yes. The IRS requires a quality review of every return prepared at a VITA or T C E site, before it's filed.

32. 03:19

    Drew: And three. The fee out of the refund.

33. 03:22

    Nayva: The IRS says to avoid preparers who base their fees on a percentage of your refund, or who want your refund put into their own account. And never sign a blank tax form.

34. 03:34

    Drew: So how does Rosa find a site?

35. 03:36

    Nayva: The IRS has a tool called the VITA Locator, on I R S dot gov. Or you can call, eight hundred, nine, oh, six, nine, eight, eight, seven.

36. 03:47

    Drew: And for folks sixty and up?

37. 03:49

    Nayva: Most T C E sites are run by A A R P Foundation Tax Aide. The IRS says their locator, or eight eight eight, two two seven, seven six six nine, works January through April.

38. 04:02

    Drew: And what does she bring?

39. 04:03

    Nayva: The IRS has a list. Photo I D. Social Security cards for everyone on the return. All your W twos and ten ninety nines. And last year's return, if you have it.

40. 04:16

    Drew: What about filing online herself?

41. 04:18

    Nayva: IRS Free File is closed right now. The IRS says check back January twenty twenty seven.

42. 04:25

    Drew: And if you're not sure what other help is out there for you, Benefit Bull dot com can help you look. You still apply yourself, on the real program's site. It just helps you find it.

43. 04:38

    Nayva: So, Rosa. Yes, it's real. It's an IRS program. And at sixty two, you may qualify for T C E or VITA. Find a site, bring your papers, and keep your refund out of anybody else's account. Thanks for calling.

44. 04:55

    Drew: Okay. What's next time?

45. 04:57

    Nayva: Another benefit you may qualify for. In plain words, like always.

46. 05:02

    Drew: I'll be here.

47. 05:03

    Nayva: See you next time. Take care of yourselves. And hey, this and a lot more, you can find at Benefit Bull dot com.