Don't Mess With Taxes

A fourth, and final, Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) Saturday opening is set for May 18.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

The third round of special Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) Saturday openings is this weekend, April 13. But don't let the date confuse you.

Just because Internal Revenue Service reps will be available to help taxpayers who live near the TACs open across the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico on April 13 doesn't mean the tax agency staff will help filers complete 2023 tax returns (or extension requests) due on Monday, April 15.

They won't.

These special just walk in, no appointment needed Saturday events are for IRS personnel to help taxpayers with a variety of other, non-filing, tax matters.

Tax tasks that are available at TAC: TAC services include getting tax forms, setting up or adjusting a taxpayer account, resolving procedural inquiries, obtaining an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), and establishing a tax payment plan.

IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) employees may also be available at some TACs this Saturday to help with some issues within that independent IRS office's purview.

You can find exactly which services are offered at your nearby TAC by checking the IRS' Contact Your Local Office website.

The online search tool took me to a page showing that IRS staff at my nearest Austin, Texas, TAC can help with, among other things, basic tax law explanations, departing alien clearances, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and filing Form 911 to request TAS help if representatives aren't at the Saturday event.

Open TACs on April 13: OK, you find that you can use some help with a tax problem not related to your annual tax return. Here are the 70 TACs in 37 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico where you can get that assistance, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, by just walking in on Saturday, April 13.

As available for the February and March TAC events, this Saturday's openings, and the ones coming up in May, you can check the special IRS.gov page for the full TAC face-to-face schedule.

Special tax help also available: During each TAC Saturday, professional foreign language interpretations in many languages will be available through an over-the-phone translation service.

IRS staff also will schedule appointments for a later date for deaf or hard of hearing individuals who need sign language interpreter services. If you need the hearing interpreter service, you can make an appointment yourself by calling TTY/TDD (800) 829-4059.

And where taxpayers have issues that cannot be resolved by IRS TAC staff at the special Saturday hours, they'll receive a referral for these services.

"IRS employees have been working hard throughout this tax season to help taxpayers, and the special Saturday hours are one more way we’ve expanded our services,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel in announcing the April 13 TAC openings. The commish also encouraged taxpayers to visit IRS.gov and take advantage of the online information and tools that might help them find the answers they need.

Preparing for TAC tax help: While you can walk into a TAC that's open on Saturday without having to make an appointment, you do need to come prepared.

Regardless of your tax question or problem, you need to bring the following information —

• Current government-issued photo identification,
• Social Security cards for members of their household, including spouse and dependents (if applicable),
• Any IRS letters or notices received and related documents, and
• For identity verification services, two forms of identification and, if filed, a copy of the tax return for the year in question.

During the visit, IRS staff also may ask you for a current mailing address, an email address, and bank account information so that you can receive payments or refunds by direct deposit.

Other office hours expanded, too: In addition to the special Saturday hours, many TACs are expanding their office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 15.

To see if a nearby TAC is offering the added hours, view its listing at IRS.gov/taclocator.

To make an appointment during regular or expanded hours, call toll-free (844) 545-5640.

Where to get tax-filing help: While IRS employees won't be offering tax return preparation and filing help, they will be able to provide information about available local free tax return filing assistance options. These include:

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites;
• Free File software, in English and Spanish, for taxpayers, individual or family, who earned $79,000 or less in 2023;
• Free File Fillable Forms via Free File for taxpayers regardless of income;
• IRS Direct File pilot program for some taxpayers in 12 states; or
• The Department of Defense MilTax program for U.S. service personnel.

In addition, you can find other online tax resources at IRS.gov, such as the Interactive Tax Assistant tool. It can help answer some taxpayer questions and in some cases resolve tax matters so that they don't have to make a trip to a TAC for help.

You also can find more on available IRS services in Publication 5136, IRS Services Guide.

You also might find these items of interest:

• Ways to file your federal taxes in 2024
• Special clinics help low-income taxpayers resolve IRS issues
• IRS seeks public help to improve dispute resolution programs

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