Tax Assistance for New Jersey Residents with Low Income or Disabilities
For Immediate Release:
March 5, 2008
For Information, Contact:
Pam Ronan, 609-292-3703
TRENTON – During this tax season, Department of Human Services' (DHS) Commissioner Jennifer Velez reminds New Jersey residents that tax information and tax preparation assistance are available for low-income residents and persons with disabilities.“There are a variety of publications available; as well as, a host of locations in local communities where volunteers provide free tax preparation assistance to eligible individuals,” said Commissioner Velez. “NJ 2-1-1 and the IRS both provide information to assist persons with low income, or with disabilities, in locating tax preparation assistance.”
NJ 2-1-1 is available by calling 2-1-1; or logging onto the NJ211 website, http://www.nj211.org. Click "I need help" and scroll down the "Search Database" list.
Click "Tax Information" and "Tax Preparation," then click "Search" for a list of community locations providing tax assistance. There are 132 programs listed in a variety of locations.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers specialized publications; as well as, volunteers who provide assistance with income tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA offers free tax help to people with low incomes, generally $40,000 and below.
Certified volunteeers are trained to help prepare basic tax returns and assist taxpayers in assessing whether they may be eligible for Tax Credits.
VITA sites are located in a variety of communities, and most offer free electronic filing. To locate the nearest VITA site, call New Jersey's social services hotline 2-1-1 or the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
Working low-income residents and persons with disabilities may also benefit from an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Governor Corzine recently signed legislation expanding program eligibility and enhancing the benefit amount for eligible residents under the New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit.
Learn more about eligibility for this federal and state tax credit, which is based on earned income and the number of qualifying children in the household, at http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dfd/programs/eitc/ or access the New Jersey Division of Taxation homepage at http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation.
The IRS offers specialized publications and forms on the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/. The following tax publications are of special interest to people with disabilities:
“Publication 907: Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities”
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p907.pdf.
“Publication 524: Credit for the Elderly or Disabled”
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p524/index.html
“Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses”
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html
Another tax-related resource for state residents with low income or disabilities is the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, which provides assistance to persons who are experiencing a hardship or are unable to resolve a problem through normal channels with the IRS. For information regarding the Taxpayer Advocate, call 1-877-777-4778. For TTY/TTD call 1-800-829-4059.
