April 15 marks Tax Day, the day that income tax returns must be submitted. Tax Day was first introduced in 1913 following the ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment. There are a variety of different ways to file your taxes yourself or with help.
United Way of Lancaster County offers tax services through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. Run by IRS-certified volunteers, VITA will help individuals or families making $70,000 or less file their taxes for free. Examine its qualifications by visiting the website.
Other programs that can be used to file taxes include the free edition of TurboTax, free federal tax filing through E-File and through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS has free file assistance for those making $84,000 or less as well as fillable forms for those of any income to use to file their taxes for free.
Make an appointment with VITA or use other tax refund filing services on or before April 15. If you won’t be able to file in enough time, apply for an extension on your tax return through the IRS by April 11. Pay your taxes on time, even if you applied for an extension, to avoid any penalty. VITA will be continuing appointments throughout the summer to file this year’s taxes late, past year taxes, amendments and to assist with understanding any letters from the IRS.
