NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Tax Payer Assistance

People who are Disabled

Governor’s Commission on Disabilities Sponsors Free Tax Assistance Days

Providence…The Governor’s Commission on Disabilities (GDC) has combined efforts with American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and volunteers from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs to offer special free tax assistance days. GCD is sponsoring these Free Tax Assistance Days to offer free priority tax preparation assistance for people with a disability. Assistance will be offered at many sites throughout Rhode Island during filing season.
Taxpayers should call to see if they qualify for free filing assistance and to make an appointment. Please call 211 or 1-800-829-1040 and ask for a VITA Site near you.
Once an appointment has been made, be sure to bring the following items to the VITA/TCE Site to have your tax returns prepared:
¨ Photo identification
¨ Valid Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents
¨ Birth Dates for primary, secondary and dependents on the tax return
¨ Current year’s tax package if you received one
¨ Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
¨ Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
¨ A copy of last year’s Federal and State returns if available
¨ Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit
¨ Other relevant information about income and expenses
¨ Total Paid for Day Care
¨ Day Care providers Identifying number
¨ To file taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.

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Even if you do not owe any taxes you may want to file to see if you qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit. If you earned under $12,590 ($14,590 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children you may qualify for Earned Income Tax Credit. If you have children under the age of 19, or under the age of 24 that are full time students for at least 5 months of the calendar year, or any age if they are permanently and totally disabled, you may be eligible for the EIC. The maximum earned income and adjusted gross income for 2007 must be less than $39,783 and the maximum credit is $4,716.
If you retired on disability, benefits you receive under your employer’s disability retirement plan are considered earned income until you reach minimum retirement age. Minimum retirement age generally is the earliest age at which you could have received a pension or annuity if you were not disabled.
A qualifying child of any age who is totally and permanently disabled can be claimed for the EITC. All other eligibility requirements must also be met. If the qualifying child who is totally and permanently disabled also receives disability benefits, they can still be claimed for the EITC.
For additional information on other tax credits and disability benefits, check out Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities.