March 20, 09

NEWS / Nine Reasons to Visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers are your source for personal tax help when you believe your tax issue cannot be handled online or by phone, and you want face-to-face tax assistance.

Here are nine reasons to visit an IRS TAC.

1. Face-to-Face Assistance No appointment is necessary -- just walk in.
2. Multilingual Assistance Don’t let a language barrier prevent you from getting the face-to-face tax assistance you may need. Multilingual services are offered to taxpayers in over 150 languages. These services are provided through bilingual employees and an Over-the-Phone Interpreter.
3. Free Federal Tax Return Preparation Your local TAC will prepare basic tax returns for those who qualify for EITC or those whose income is less than $42,000. Visit your TAC for an appointment.
4. Form 2290, Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return Your local TAC can help you prepare Form 2290, accept your payment and provide the needed receipts for you to take when registering your vehicle.
5. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number If you are not eligible for a Social Security Number but need to file a tax return, bring the completed tax return, Form W7 and certified identification documents to your local TAC to apply for your ITIN and file your return. For more information, see Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.
6. Alien Clearances Before leaving the United States, most aliens must obtain a certificate of tax compliance. This document, also popularly known as the sailing permit or departure permit, must be secured from the IRS before leaving the U.S. You can get the permit from your local TAC. For more information, see Publication 513, Tax Information for Visitors to the United States.
7. Payments You can make payments at your local IRS TAC. Be sure you know the tax period and type of tax the payment is for. If you received a notice from the IRS, be sure to bring it with you.
8. Tax Forms Do you need tax forms? If so, most forms are available at your local TAC.
9. Tax Return and Tax Account Transcripts Do you need a copy of your tax return for financial aid or to obtain a mortgage? If so, a tax return or tax account transcript will generally meet the requirements of these lending institutions. Visit your local TAC for free transcripts, which are generally available for the current and past three years.

TAC locations, business hours and an overview of services are available at IRS.gov. Just go to the “Individuals” tab and click on the link for Contact My Local Office in the left tool bar section under IRS Resources.

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