Tax Season Returns, Councilmembers Sponsor Preparation Workshop

Like it or not, tax season has arrived.

This year's deadline for 2010 Maryland and federal tax forms is a little later than usual—Monday, April 18, rather than April 15. But don't let the extra time give you an excuse to procrastinate. Several resources are available to help you file your taxes on time, accurately and with as few headaches as possible.

Baltimore County Councilman David Marks of District 5 and Councilwoman Cathy Bevins of District 6 recently announced a free tax preparation workshop with the office of the Comptroller of Maryland.

The presentation will take place on Monday, March 14, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Loch Raven Library, located at 1046 Taylor Ave. Tax professionals will address some of the most common errors in filing tax returns, changes to the tax code from last year, tips about filing online, as well as other general tax advice. A question and answer session will follow. Bevins or Marks can be contacted about the event by calling 410-887-3196.

A wealth of additional resources, including forms and instructions, are available through the Baltimore County Public Library Tax Forms and Information website. Hard copies of forms are also available at most library branches.

BCPL lists the following organizations for free tax preparation services:

Baltimore County Department of Aging Tax Aide Counseling

• Eligibility: Low- and middle-income taxpayers age 60 or older.
• Services: Federal and state tax preparation.
• Appointments are required at most locations.
• See the website for contact information.

Internal Revenue Service's Taxpayer Assistance Centers

• Eligibility: Taxpayers who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit or earn an income of $49,000 or less.
• Services: Federal and state tax preparation.
• Appointments are required. 
• The Baltimore office is located at 31 Hopkins Plaza and can be contacted by calling 410-962-7969, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Telephone assistance is also available by calling 1-800-829-1040 or 1-800-829-4059,  Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

• Eligibility: Low- and middle-income taxpayers who generally earn an income of $49,000 or less.
• Services: Federal and state tax preparation.
• Appointments are required.
• The nearest VITA site can be found by calling 1-800-906-9887.

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

• Eligibility: Low-income individuals involved in tax disputes with the IRS, tax audits or back taxes.
• Services: Guidance regarding tax legal issues.
• Appointments are required. 
• The organization can be contacted by calling 410-547-6537, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

AARP Tax-Aide Program

• Eligibility: Low- and middle-income taxpayers, with special attention to those 60 and over.
• Services: Federal and state tax preparation.
• Appointments are required. 
• Check the site locator for contact information and hours of operation. Online federal tax assistance is available year-round.
• The organization can be contacted by calling 1-888-AARP-NOW.

Taxpayer Service Offices: Comptroller of Maryland

• Eligibility: All taxpayers. 
• Services: Preparation of Maryland income tax returns and electronic filing.
• No appointment is required, but taxpayers should bring their completed federal return, all W-2 statements and supporting documents, including 1099 statements, and picture identification.
• Assistance is available Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Baltimore and Towson office. Directions and locations are available on the website.