Free Tax Prep Services Available Through April 17

By Submitted Report
The Tube City Almanac
January 17, 2018
Posted in: Announcements

Mon Valley residents who need help filing their income taxes may be eligible for one of several free tax clinics being provided around the district.

The clinics are being held in McKeesport, Duquesne, Braddock, Clairton, Homestead, Turtle Creek and Elizabeth beginning Jan. 27, said Stephanie Eson of Human Services Center Corp. in Turtle Creek.

The clinics are being sponsored in part by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Human Services Center and other agencies.

Although the clinics are free, appointments must be scheduled in advance by calling 2-1-1, Eson said. To be eligible, taxpayers must have had a 2017 income of $25,000 or less if filing as an individual, or a household income of $45,000 or less.

Tax clinics will be available at the Human Services Center's administrative offices at 413 Penn Ave., Turtle Creek, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, now through April 17, but appointments must be made in advance by calling 2-1-1, Eson said.

The neighborhood clinics will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following dates and locations:

• Jan. 27, McKeesport, State Sen. Jim Brewster's office, 201 Lysle Blvd.
• Feb. 3, Clairton, LifeSpan, 530 Miller Ave.
• Feb. 9, Homestead, Mon Valley Initiative, 305 E. 8th Ave.
• Feb. 17, Braddock, Heritage Community Initiatives, 820 Braddock Ave.
• Feb. 23, Duquesne, City Hall
• March 2, Elizabeth, Bethesda United Presbyterian Church,  314 S. Third Ave.
• March 10, McKeesport, Brewster's office
• March 16, Homestead, Mon Valley Initiative
• March 23, Duquesne, City Hall
• March 31, Elizabeth, Bethesda United Presbyterian Church
• April 7, Braddock, Heritage Community Initiatives
• April 14, Clairton, LifeSpan

People who want to attend the tax prep clinics must make sure they have the following information with them when they attend, Eson said:

• Photo identification (for you and your spouse, if filing jointly)
• Social Security card or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number every person to be claimed on your return
• Birthdates for every person on the return
• W-2 forms for all jobs held in 2017
• All 1099 forms, including income received from unemployment (1099-G), social security (1099-SSA), pension payments (1099-R), bank account interest (1099-INT), and dividends (1099-DIV)
• Form 1095-A, B, or C with health insurance information, if you received one
• Health insurance exemption certificate, if you have one
• A list of who on your tax return had health insurance for 2017 and for which months they were covered
• Record of tuition payments (1098-T), student loan interest paid (1098-E), plus receipts for postsecondary materials and books
• Total expenses and name, address, and tax ID number of anyone who provided childcare for you in 2017
• Mortgage interest statement and property tax receipts if you own a home
• Local tax forms or any tax booklets you’ve received in the mail

If you are married and filing a joint return with your spouse, Eson said, you will need to bring your spouse with you to sign the return.

People who want the tax help should also consider bringing a copy of their 2016 tax return, a pay stub from any job they worked in 2017, and any other documents they might think are helpful, including any document you received that says on it something like, “This is important for your taxes.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 2-1-1.

(Photo by Philip "PT Money" Taylor via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

Originally published January 17, 2018.

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