Free tax help available in Annandale

Need help with your taxes? If you earn less than $54,000 a year, you qualify for free tax preparation assistance under an Internal Revenue Service program operated locally by the Northern Virginia Coalition for Creating Assets, Savings and Hope (NVACASH).

Free tax clinics have been set up across the region, including the SkillSource Center at 7611 Little River Turnpike in Annandale. It be open Jan. 27-April 14, 4-7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturdays. You don’t need an appointment.
Another NVACASH tax clinic will operate on Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m., Feb. 3-April 14, at the Thomas Jefferson Library, 7415 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church.

On Feb. 24, the Deloitte LLP financial consulting firm is hosting a family-friendly community tax day at the SkillSource Center in Annandale, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome. Food and childcare will be available, as well as Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and American Sign Language translators. For more information or to make an appointment for that event, contact [email protected] or call 703-246-3896.

Taking advantage of this free service can save people a lot of money, as commercial tax preparers charge $100 to $200 for a simple tax return, says James Do of the Annandale SkillSource Center.
Last year, six certified volunteer tax preparers at the center filed 5,561 tax returns, Do says. The 15 NVACASH cash centers in Northern Virginia helped residents obtain about $10.7 million in federal tax refunds.

Be sure to bring relevant documents, including a photo ID, Social Security card, W-2 statements, expense documents (dependent care, education-related expenses, home mortgage interest payments), and a voided check for direct deposit.

You don’t need to worry about the new tax law enacted in December; it won’t take effect until next year.