Tax filing season begins Monday; need free tax return preparation?
Columbus-area residents in need of help with preparing their income tax returns — but don’t have the extra cash to get it done professionally — can turn to Goodwill of the Southern Rivers starting next week for free assistance.
The organization said Wednesday it will begin its annual free tax preparation service starting next Tuesday at its Goodwill Columbus Career Center located at 2601 Cross Country Drive, Suite A. The no-charge tax assistance is available to those earning $54,000 or less a year. Volunteers with the River Valley Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Coalition, simply known as VITA, is assisting Goodwill again this year.
Walk-ins are welcome, the center said. Hours next week are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, or until capacity is reached. Hours on Friday and Saturday are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., again until the center hits full capacity for the number of people it can handle those days. That means it is advisable to get to the center as soon as possible.
But those who aren’t able to have their income tax returns completed next week should not despair. The center will be open through the tax filing season. It’s a good idea to check hours on Goodwill’s website before traveling to the center for assistance.
The Internal Revenue Service said this year’s tax season kicks off Monday. With the traditional April 15 filing deadline falling on Saturday, the federal agency has extended the deadline this year for submitting a return until Tuesday, April 18.
While Goodwill’s Columbus center will not be doing any tax preparation next Monday, its location in Newnan, Ga., will start its service that day by appointment only. The Newnan center is located at 3121 East Highway 34. Call 678-854-6839 for information.
Even though it begins accepting tax returns next week for processing, the IRS said that certain tax credits claimed by filers will delay refunds because of the agency taking more time to determine if the credits are justified and not fraudulent. Under scrutiny are the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit. The delay means many taxpayers may not have access to their refunds until the week of Feb. 27.
The IRS estimates more than 153 million individual tax returns will be filed this year. It expects more than 80 percent of the returns will be prepared electronically using computer software.
To check the status of a refund, visit www.irs.gov/refunds or for additional information, visit www.irs.gov.
The Goodwill Columbus Career Center can be reached at 706-324-4366.
This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 3:39 PM with the headline "Tax filing season begins Monday; need free tax return preparation?."