Free assistance with personal or individual income tax returns is available in both Beaufort and Jasper county. The free service is provided by both the United Way Lowcountry Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and the American Association of Retired Persons.
The services provided are for individual personal income tax preparation only, not business or commercial taxes. Volunteers were in place starting Feb. 1, and they will prepare returns through Apr 15.
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
United Way Lowcountry volunteer program coordinator Sherry Halphren said that as a baseline, bring last year’s return. Next, taxpayers will need to include forms that show all income information such as W-2, or 1099-NEC if self-employed, 1099 investment documents, a 1099-G for unemployment, and 1099–R for retirement.
She stressed the importance of bringing the 1095-A, which details healthcare payments during the year. Without it, the return will be rejected. “The IRS knows if you have healthcare, or not.”
If a taxpayer has been assigned an IRS pin due to their identity ever being compromised, they need to bring that PIN with them. “Every January that PIN number is updated.” Also bring a voided check, or routing plus account numbers for direct deposit.