Tax help offered at two sites

Free tax preparation assistance will be available in Kalispell through the federal tax season through the American Association of Retired Persons Tax-Aide program and the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

 The programs provide free help in preparing and electronically filing federal and state income tax returns for low- to moderate-income taxpayers.

The service is free to anyone at any age.

The tax service will be available from Feb. 3 through April 15 in the Earl Bennett Conference Room at the Gateway Community Center (formerly the Gateway West Mall) in Kalispell.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Appointments are being made now. Call 407-8355 to schedule an appointment between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Call 752-6565 to schedule an evening appointment.

VITA also offers free tax preparation at Flathead Valley Community College on Fridays and Saturdays.

The tax service is located in the computer lab of the Arts and Technology Building.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. This is a walk-in site so no appointment is necessary.

Computers will be available at both locations for taxpayers to prepare their own federal and Montana state returns for free. These websites are also accessible through personal electronic devices.

The websites are: http://myfreetaxes.com/CAPNM or http://myfeetaxes.com/D3aarp.

All volunteers are trained and certified through the Internal Revenue Service and must sign a confidentiality agreement. More volunteers are needed and training for IRS certification is available.

There is no specific income limit for AARP Tax-Aide; the VITA program has an income limit of $52,000 annually.

Both programs have limits on the types of returns that the volunteers will prepare. Some examples of returns that would be considered outside the scope of the program include farm income, rental income, returns with a significant number of capital gains/losses and business income that includes employees, depreciation, inventory or a loss.

Taxpayers are asked to bring the following information to the tax preparation sites:

v Copy of last year’s tax return.

v Picture ID for the taxpayer and Social Security cards for all people listed on the return.

v W-2 forms from each employer.

v Unemployment compensation statements.

v SSA-1099 forms for those who were paid Social Security.

v All 1099 forms (1099-Int, 1099-Div, 1099-B, 1099-C etc.).

v 1099-Misc. showing any miscellaneous income.

v 1099-R from for those who receive a pension or IRA distribution.

v Dependent Care provider information (name, employer ID, Social Security number).

v Checkbook or savings account information for direct deposit.

v For those over age 62 eligible for the Montana Homeowner and Renter credit, copies of 2013 property tax bills and/or total rent paid in 2013.

The local United Way is providing space and materials for the tax assistance programs. AARP has been providing tax preparation help in the Flathead Valley for nearly 40 years, while the VITA program is in its third year in the valley.

For more information, visit montanafreefile.org.