Page 68

pensions and retirement-related issues unique to se- niors. Go to IRS.gov/TCE, download the free IRS2Go app, or call 888-227-7669 for information on free tax return preparation. • MilTax. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and qualified veterans may use MilTax, a free tax service offered by the Department of Defense through Military OneSource. For more information go to MilitaryOneSource (MilitaryOneSource.mil/Tax). Also, the IRS offers Free Fillable Forms, which can be completed online and then filed electronically re- gardless of income. Using online tools to help prepare your return. Go to IRS.gov/Tools for the following. • The Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant (IRS.gov/ EITCAssistant) determines if you’re eligible for the earned income credit (EIC). • The Online EIN Application (IRS.gov/EIN) helps you get an employer identification number (EIN) at no cost. • The Tax Withholding Estimator (IRS.gov/W4app) makes it easier for everyone to pay the correct amount of tax during the year. The tool is a convenient, online way to check and tailor your withholding. It’s more user-friendly for taxpayers, including retirees and self-employed individuals. The features include the following. – Easy to understand language. – The ability to switch between screens, correct pre- vious entries, and skip screens that don’t apply. – Tips and links to help you determine if you qualify for tax credits and deductions. – A progress tracker. – A self-employment tax feature. – Automatic calculation of taxable social security ben- efits. • The First-Time Homebuyer Credit Account Look-up (IRS.gov/HomeBuyer) tool provides information on your repayments and account balance. • The Sales Tax Deduction Calculator (IRS.gov/ SalesTax) figures the amount you can claim if you itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). Getting answers to your tax questions. On IRS.gov, you can get up-to-date information on current events and changes in tax law. • IRS.gov/Help: A variety of tools to help you get an- swers to some of the most common tax questions. • IRS.gov/ITA: The Interactive Tax Assistant, a tool that will ask you questions and, based on your input, pro- vide answers on a number of tax law topics. • IRS.gov/Forms: Find forms, instructions, and publica- tions. You will find details on 2021 tax changes and hundreds of interactive links to help you find answers to your questions. Need someone to prepare your tax return? There are various types of tax return preparers, including tax prepar- ers, enrolled agents, certified public accountants (CPAs), attorneys, and many others who don’t have professional credentials. If you choose to have someone prepare your tax return, choose that preparer wisely. A paid tax pre- parer is: • Primarily responsible for the overall substantive accu- racy of your return, • Required to sign the return, and • Required to include their preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Although the tax preparer always signs the return, you're ultimately responsible for providing all the information re- quired for the preparer to accurately prepare your return. Anyone paid to prepare tax returns for others should have a thorough understanding of tax matters. For more infor- mation on how to choose a tax preparer, go to Tips for Choosing a Tax Preparer on IRS.gov. Advance child tax credit payments. From July through December 2021, advance payments were sent automati- cally to taxpayers with qualifying children who met certain criteria. The advance child tax credit payments were early payments of up to 50% of the estimated child tax credit that taxpayers may properly claim on their 2021 returns. Go to IRS.gov/AdvCTC for more information about these payments and how they can affect your taxes. Coronavirus. Go to IRS.gov/Coronavirus for links to in- formation on the impact of the coronavirus, as well as tax relief available for individuals and families, small and large businesses, and tax-exempt organizations. Employers can register to use Business Services On- line. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers on- line service at SSA.gov/employer for fast, free, and secure online W-2 filing options to CPAs, accountants, enrolled agents, and individuals who process Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and Form W-2c, Corrected Wage and Tax Statement. IRS social media. Go to IRS.gov/SocialMedia to see the various social media tools the IRS uses to share the latest information on tax changes, scam alerts, initiatives, prod- ucts, and services. At the IRS, privacy and security are our highest priority. We use these tools to share public in- formation with you. Don’t post your social security number (SSN) or other confidential information on social media sites. Always protect your identity when using any social networking site. The following IRS YouTube channels provide short, infor- mative videos on various tax-related topics in English, Spanish, and ASL. • Youtube.com/irsvideos. Page 68 Chapter 12 How To Get Tax Help