As the date to file your income taxes gets closer, you may be realizing that you need tax help. The first place you should look is to a qualified tax preparer in your local area. There are plenty of tax clinics that are set up in cities in order to help those who need extra assistance.

Look to the Internal Revenue Service website for most all of the information you need . If the tax laws have you confused in terms of credit or deductions for example, then one option is to head out to a volunteer site. Two examples of these include the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program.

These programs offer taxpayers free help if they meet certain criteria. The programs are staffed by trained community volunteers who can provide free tax return preparation assistance and help those who wish to file their taxes online. If you require help with special credits such as the Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit then this is the place to go.

The VITA Program (Volunteer Tax Assistance Program) is for those who earn an income of $42,000 or less a year. Volunteers are all certified and are sponsored by a selection of organizations. VITA sites are set up in schools, libraries, shopping centers and community centers. Most VITA sites make it possible for tax returns to be filed electronically.

Those who are 60 years of age and older can take advantage of the Tax Counseling for the Elderly Program. This program is run by trained volunteers who come from an array of not-for-profit organizations. Free tax counseling is offered by this program as well as many basic elements of preparing a tax return. The volunteers for this program are often senior citizens themselves.

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program is sponsored by the IRS and works in conjunction with AARP (American Association of Retired Persons). This program is offered at as many as 7,000 different sites across the country. The program is aimed at individuals who have a low to a modest middle income. To learn more, visit AARP.org .

If you have run into a tax problem and cannot find help anywhere else then look to the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Information about this independent organization of the IRS can be found at their website. If a tax problem cannot be resolved by any other means then this is the place to look to for assistance.