Free Tax Prep Services Offered Again At Walmart
Soooo, I had a little fun with Walmart last year when I found out that they would allow free tax prep services in Walmart parking lots across America. In my defense, I’m from the South: the snark couldn’t be helped.
Nonetheless, the folks at One Economy reached out to me this year to see if I might mention the program again.
Here is the scoop: the Walmart Foundation has given One Economy and its partners $4 million to provide free federal and state income tax preparation service online and at locations across the nation. Taxpayers who earned less than $58,000 in 2009 can file for free online at http://www.myfreetaxes.com as part of a partnership with H&R Block TaxCut®.
Taxpayers who earned less than $58,000 can also have their taxes prepared for free at physical locations during One Economy’s mobile van tour. Find a location near you by going online.
According to the folks at One Economy, they’re expecting to process returns worth $1 billion in total tax refunds, credits and tax preparation savings. If you think that’s ambitious, they claim that, in 2009, that a “similar effort from the Walmart Foundation helped more than 650,000 people receive tax refunds, credits and tax preparation savings totaling more than $950 million.”
In this economy, every little bit helps. So go, get your taxes done for free.
[Full Disclosure: Former Walmart lobbyist, currently a client]
Interesting fact. 70% if filers claiming the EITC pay a tax preparer and likely would not have claimed the credit otherwise. The typical retail fee is more than $300 – before other fees like instant refund. The average EITC filer earns about $24,000 for whom $300 is huge – maybe a few weeks worth of groceriees at Walmart.
Is the $58K qualification gross income?
Kelly,
Please don’t forget the AARP Tax-Aide services. We provide free assistance (in most cases with free e-filing) to all taxpayers with returns within the scope of our training (unfortunately, small business owners, if you file a schedule C we can’t help you). Although we like to focus on taxpayers over age 60 and on younger low-income taxpayers, we take all clients on a first-come, first-serve basis. This will be my fourth year working as a volunteer with the program; and, in my humble opinion, it’s GREAT!
I need a CCH. Answer is if you file married joint with deceased spouse, you cannot amend return and file married separate