On March 30, Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) will speak with local community leaders in Roanoke to urge eligible Virginia residents to use the IRS and Virginia Free File programs and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to save money and time during this tax season.
Free File is a public-private partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tax preparation software companies, which provides millions of people access to brand name software to prepare and securely file their taxes atno cost. The software uses a simple interview-style process to help people identify all the credits and deductions for which they are eligible.
In general, people with an income of $62,000 or less – 70 percent of all taxpayers – are eligible to use Free File. Virginia is one of 20 states plus the District of Columbia that have formed state Free File programs, enabling eligible taxpayers to file both their federal and state tax returns online for free. Since its debut in 2003, over 40 million taxpayers have saved more than $1.3 billion in tax preparation costs through the IRS Free File program.
The briefing will also highlight free tax services available through VITA, the Virginia Community Action Partnership (VACAP), and Total Action for Progress (TAP).