Tax Forms at the Library
Looking for assistance with your taxes? Whitman County Library provides links to helpful resources, computers to access to the Internal Revenue Service website, printing capability, and a spattering of forms made available through the IRS.
For this filing season, the IRS will only provide the library with Forms 1040 and 1040-SR, along with related schedules and instructions. At this point in time, the forms have not arrived at the library and we have not been given a shipping time. The forms 1040, 1040SR, and schedules one through three are included in one booklet. All other forms must be obtained through the IRS website, www.irs.gov. On line filing began on January 24 for 2021 returns and you will have until April 18, 2022 to complete your 2022 return. The IRS offers a free file online service for those with an adjusted gross income of less than $73,000. Free file is available at, https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free. Popular tax programs that have been used in the past such as Turbo Tax and H & R Block are no longer available for free file but there are many other providers still available to use.
The Pullman Senior Center is also providing assistance on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. from the AARP Foundation. For more information, call 208-882-5406. For a helpful list of tax resources, contact the Colfax Library at 509-397-4366.
Get Free Tax Prep Help
The IRS provides tax tools on their website, https://www.irs.gov. Included on the IRS site are tools to help find VITA and AARP tax help in your area https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers. AARP offers tax information and a search tool to find local assistance with your taxes here, https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html, At this time, the only other resource in the Pullman area is with the WSU-Hoops FSA and they are available on Saturdays from February 2 to April 2, https://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/jsp/direction.jsp?id=29364&lng=-117.199872&lat=46.728343. Please follow our Facebook page for additional updates.
Coast will provide free transportation for the elderly to Pullman with a 48 hour notice. They can be reached at 509-397-2935
Protecting Yourself from Tax Scams
It is that time of year again and tax scams are on the rise. Here is just one:
The IRS phone scam: Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill or tell you you have a large refund coming. Don’t be fooled. Here are a few tips from the IRS website:
The IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Visit the IRS Tax Tip page “Don’t Fall for Scam Calls and Emails Posing as IRS”
For more tips on avoiding tax scams you can:
Visit the IRS website here for the IRS list of Dirty Dozen Tax scams and more information.
Consumer Reports online has videos and articles on avoiding tax scams. Go to the library website homepage by clicking here, clicking Digital Library then Databases and Websites, click on Consumer Reports, and enter tax scams in the search box. If you are accessing the website from home, you will be asked to enter your library card number.
Tips for avoiding tax scams can be found on the BBB website at https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/13995-bbb-tip-tax-scams.
For questions please call the library at 397-4366 or toll-free at 1-877-733-3375.