Friday, April 5, 2013

Free Tax Preparation For Qualified Utah Residents


April 15th is around the corner. Did you know there are programs that offer free tax preparation for those who qualify? UtahTaxHelp.org is a statewide initiative powered by Community Action Partnership of Utah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free online and in person tax help you can trust.

Who qualifies to file state and federal taxes for free with UtahTaxHelp.org?

  • Families who earned a combined income of $57,000 or less
  • Individuals who earned $51,000 or less
Additionally, UtahTaxHelp.org offers three tips for avoiding hidden tax filing fees:

1. File your state and federal taxes 100% free with qualified IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers

The average Utah tax filer pays $211 to file their taxes. Beware of hidden charges some paid preparers disguise as "application," "administrative," “e-filing," "processing," "service bureau" or "transmission" fees. Other paid preparers may offer free state tax filing but charge for federal tax filing.

2. Don't pay a fee to get your own money

Some paid preparers charge you to get the credits you deserve; the more forms they fill out to get those credits for you, the more they charge. Don't pay extra fees to save your own money.

3. Avoid refund loans

The IRS has cracked down on many refund anticipation loans (temporary loans of your money at interest rates as high as 500%), but many paid preparers are disguising these practices under new names, like "personal line of credit." Don't pay excessive interest rates for early access to your refund.

Call 2-1-1 for more information or visit UtahTaxHelp.org to file your taxes for free — online or in person at one of 90 locations throughout Utah.

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