Help at tax time, from filing returns to finding deductions

Want free help filing your taxes?

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who make $54,000 or less. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing.

Besides VITA, the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for all taxpayers, especially those 60 and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement issues.

To locate the nearest VITA site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool at http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/ or call the IRS hotline 800-906-9887.

Most TCE sites are run by the AARP Foundation's Tax Aide program. To find the nearest site, use the AARP Site Locator Tool at www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp or call 888-227-7669.

Other local nonprofits also offer free tax-filing help, including the United Way at unitedway.org/myfreetaxes) or 1-855-MY-TX-HELP (1-855-698-9435).

UESF in Center City is another nonprofit offering tax help; 215-972-5170.

It's key to wait for your tax forms, advises Blue Bell accountant David Zalles, especially W-2 and 1099s from brokerage or retirement plans.

But you don't need to wait for 1095 health-insurance forms from your insurer or employer.

"You can file before you receive the Affordable Care Act Health insurance information form, because the IRS has moved the deadline to March 31 for companies to send them out," Zalles said.

Brokerage firms and mutual fund companies send out 1099 forms for reporting interest, dividend, and capital gains. Some income-related forms come in middle to late March, especially K-1 forms from partnerships.

Unemployed last year?

If you received unemployment in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, these and other states have stopped mailing 1099-G tax forms, showing income from unemployment. Don't forget to include this taxable income on your federal income tax return along with Form 1099-G.

Below is a snapshot of various tax extenders made permanent earlier this year:

Education and Child Credits: Slated to expire at the end of 2017 and now made permanent is the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides up to $2,500 in partially refundable tax credits for postsecondary education; and the refundable child credit.

Educators' Above-the-Line Deduction: The $250 above-the-line deduction for teachers and other school professionals was made permanent for expenses for books, certain supplies, equipment, and supplementary material for the classroom.

Mass Transit and Parking Benefits: The extenders act provides $250 per month in 2015 and $255 per month in 2016 in pretax savings to help reduce costs for taxpayers using mass transit.

Tuition: The deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses is set to expire at the end of 2016 and permits a deduction of up to $4,000 for single taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less, and $130,000 or less for a couple filing jointly.

You can also take a tax deduction of up to $14,000 per beneficiary for 529 contributions.

Tax-Free Contributions From IRAs: Tax-free distributions to charity from an individual retirement account of up to $100,000 per taxpayer per tax year, by taxpayers age 701/2 or older.

Identity Theft: Taxpayers need to watch out for identity theft - especially around tax time.

The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, phone, text message, or social media to request personal or financial information. The IRS does not call taxpayers with threats of lawsuits or arrests.

But if your tax filing or refund is rejected, someone may have used your Social Security number. If you think you're a victim of identity theft, immediately call local police and file a report. You need that to continue the process with federal agencies.

File a complaint with the FTC online (identitytheft.gov). Contact major credit bureaus to put a fraud alert or freeze on your credit. You may have to file an IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, and contact the IRS immediately at 1-800-908-4490.

earvedlund@phillynews.com

215-854-2808@erinarvedlund