5 Ways to Get Free Tax Filing Help in 2010

Filing your federal income tax return can be intimidating. None other than Albert Einstein has called the income tax “the hardest thing in the world to understand.” But there are a variety of tools to help you complete your forms properly and completely.

Here’s five ways you may be able to get help with your return for free in 2010:

1. The Free File program through the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS offers free online tax preparation for eligible taxpayers through its partnership with Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private tax software companies. If your adjusted gross income for 2009 was $57,000 or less, you may be able to use this step-by-step tax software for free. This software asks simple questions that you answer, does the math for you and double checks for accuracy. Some of the participating tax software companies will also offer state tax preparation, but some fees may apply. Check it out here.

2. IRS assistance centers. The IRS provides free tax help for people who earn low to moderate income ($49,000 or less). The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program has centers located in neighborhood centers across the country. You can find your closest location by calling 1-800-829-1040. There will also be help centers across the country on Feb. 6 and Feb. 20 to help taxpayers who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is a tax credit for people who work but do not earn high incomes. You can find a list of these EITC centers on the IRS Web site here.

3. Free File fillable forms. The IRS provides online fillable forms here that anyone can use. These don’t provide the step-by-step help of tax software, but there’s no income limitation either. For those who earned more than $57,000 in gross income last year, these online fillable forms might be a good option.

4. Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program. This program helps out those who are at least 60 years old. During tax filing season from late January through April 15, AARP offers Tax-Aide counseling at more than 7,000 locations across the country. You can find the nearest location at the AARP Web site here.

5. Help for military personnel and their families. The Armed Forces Tax Council helps out military members and their families with tax preparation and military specific tax issues.

According to the IRS, about 80 percent of taxpayers use a paid preparer or tax preparation software. But there are ways to complete your return without shelling out a bundle of money.