Tax Resources

We, as a country, have experienced some major ups and downs this past year, one result being that the standard deadline to file federal income tax for individuals—April 15—has been extended to May 17.

Not all states have extended their deadlines, however, so if you have to file taxes in another state, you will need to double-check that state’s policy. Florida doesn’t have state income taxes, and Georgia requires that you send in particular forms to request an extension.

There are many online and in-person resources on The Liberty Coast to help you file your taxes. Programs offering free tax help include Tax-Aide by AARP Foundation, Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), IRS Free File, and MilTax by Military OneSource.

Tax-Aide by AARP Foundation is free and available to all Veterans, military personnel, and their families, regardless of age or whether they are AARP members. There is only one physical location on The Liberty Coast with available appointment times:

Orange Park Library 2054 Plainfield Ave. (904) 278-4750

Multiple virtual appointment locations are available. To find one that best suits you, visit Secure.AARP.org/Applications/VMISLocator/SearchTaxAideLocations.Action.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) TCE was designed for individuals age 60 or older who are in need of either counseling or tax return preparation services. To learn more, or to find a location near you, call (800) 906-9887 or visit Benefits.gov/Benefit/722.

Volunteer Income Tax Support Assistance (VITA) For in-person tax assistance, you can visit one of the following offices, though there are more offices than those listed here:

Camden—Kingsland VITA 451 S. Lee St. No appointment needed

Clay—St. Johns River State College 4949 Blanding Blvd., first-floor cafe (904) 632-0600 Appointment only

Duval—Jacksonville Military Affairs & Veteran Services 117 W. Duval Street, Ste. 175 (904) 255-5550 Military only, by appointment

Nassau—Barnabas Center 1303 Jasmine St., Ste. 101 (904) 432-0009 ext. 2660 Appointment only

St. Johns—United Way of St. Johns County 117 Bridge St. (904) 632-0600 Appointment only

IRS Free File The IRS Free File Program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and many tax preparation and filing software industry leaders who provide their brand-name products for free. It provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:

• Traditional IRS Free File provides free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner sites.

• Free File Fillable Forms are electronic federal tax forms you can fill out and file online for free. To determine what option is available to you based on your income, visit IRS.gov/Filing/Free-File-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-For-Free

MilTax by Military OneSource MilTax preparation and e-filing self-paced software is designed to address situations specific to the military. It walks users through a series of questions to help them complete and electronically file their federal returns and up to three state tax forms.

MilTax consultants are available 24/7 and are trained to help with unique tax situations specific to Servicemembers and their families. For more information, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil/Financial-Legal/Tax-Resource-Center/Miltax-Military- Tax-Services/