February 24, 2025 Pennsylvania Taxpayers Can File for Free to IRS Through Direct File Pennsylvania taxpayers can now take part in a free and secure means of filing for free this tax season through Direct File. Learn More Direct File enables taxpayers to file directly with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at no cost. It is a new tool that lets eligible taxpayers file their taxes directly online from their smartphone or computer. The website is secure and available in English and Spanish. On average, filing on the site takes less than one hour to complete. Filing To file, taxpayers should: Visit Direct File to check eligibility. If eligible, create an ID.me* login account, which helps to make sure tax data is absolutely secure. For assistance, view this step-by-step guide on creating the account. Use the interview-style tool on the website to complete federal taxes. Upon completing their taxes, visitors will be taken to a free state filing system on the state’s tax website to complete the state return as well. When using Direct File, visitors will have access to live chat support from IRS staff in English and Spanish. Those who do not complete their filing all at once can save their progress and return to it later. Eligibility Most visitors to the site can use it if their 2024 taxes were relatively straightforward – for example, if they don’t itemize deductions, if income came primarily from W-2 employment, and if taxpayers can claim common credits such as the CTC, EITC, or premium tax credit. Tax filers with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) who have previously filed taxes can participate. Also, taxpayers with a Social Security Number can apply regardless of having previously filed. For more information, visit Direct File.
February 10, 2025 United Way, Human Services Center Mon Valley Offering Free Tax Prep Services The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Human Services Center Mon Valley are offering free tax preparation services for qualifying families this tax season. To find answers for common tax season questions, view this flier in English and Spanish. United Way Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-certified volunteers will help households earning up to $65,000 per year to get the maximum possible refund. They will also help qualifying taxpayers to get an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which can help to pay down bills, fund a child’s education, or build savings. There will be no charge, no matter the size of the refund, for those assisted by the United Way. Free tax sites located in the region will serve Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. Those interested can schedule an appointment online or call 888-856-2773. Taxpayers can also file their own federal and state taxes for free online through United Way. Download this flier for more information and locations. Human Services Center Mon Valley The Human Services Center Mon Valley will offer free tax preparation from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through April 9. Families with a total household income up to $65,000 or individuals up to $45,000 qualify for services. Appointments can be scheduled online or by calling 2-1-1. The center is located at 413 Penn Avenue in Turtle Creek. There will be free parking on site, and the center is located on the bus line. For more information about documents needed for tax preparation, download this flier.
February 15, 2023 Home Grown Child Care Shares Tax Guidance for Home-based Child Care Providers Home Grown Child Care has partnered with Civitas Strategies to develop a tax workbook for home-based child care providers. “Preparing for Tax Season: A Guide for Home-based Child Care Providers,” is available in English and Spanish. About the 2022 Tax Workbook This tax workbook was created to provide home-based child care providers with timely guidance on navigating tax preparation. It is designed to simplify the process of completing taxes and to alleviate tax-based stress by providing step-by-step guidance on tax work. Home-based child care providers can share this resource with a tax professional or use it to complete their own taxes. Download the 2022 Tax Workbook Download the workbook in English Download the workbook in Spanish Learn More To learn more about Home Grown Child Care’s 2022 tax workbook, visit the Home Grown Child Care website. To find tax guides for all child care providers, visit the “New Tax Guides for Child Care Professionals,” Trying Together webpage.
January 17, 2023 Free Tax Return Preparation in Allegheny County The Free Tax Preparation Coalition (sponsored by United Way of Southwestern PA), which provides free income tax return preparation throughout the region, is now taking appointments for the 2023 tax season. (This article was updated on January 17, 2023 to reflect scheduling and site information) Learn More Every year, Free Tax Preparation Coalition helps low-income households file their income tax return and maximize their tax refund. Many low-income people are eligible for tax credits and other refunds when they file their yearly tax return. For example, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs, and can increase a family’s annual income by as much as 45 percent. More details are available on the Just Harvest website. Just Harvest is a leading member of the Free Tax Preparation Coalition. Tax preparation services are available from January 23 through April 18, 2023. Schedule an Appointment To schedule an appointment, you can contact the United Way Resource Navigators in three different ways: Dial 2-1-1 or 888-856-2773 Text your zip code to 898-211 Use United Way’s online scheduler to make an appointment Details, locations, and contact information are available on this flyer. More Resources GetYourRefund.org is a free virtual service supported by the IRS, U.S. Department of Treasury, and the White House that helps low-income households across America receive high quality tax services from the convenience of their home. Services open on January 31, 2023, at 1 p.m. Services are also available in Spanish. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who make $60,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their tax returns. To locate an open site near you, use the VITA Locator Tool or call (888) 227-7669 (toll-free). The IRS Free File offers many online resources and tax help. Find tax forms, instructions and publications, online payment options, and more. Individuals can even prepare and file their federal income tax online for free. More information will be available in January 2023.
January 4, 2023 New Tax Guides for Child Care Professionals Civitas Strategies Early Start, in partnership with Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services (WEESSN) – a program of Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) – has developed tax guides specifically for child care providers nationwide. Learn More The guides focus on helping providers use the three largest online tax preparation software brands to address specific child care business scenarios. The tax guides give child care providers the specific knowledge they need to provide accurate information about their business and understand where to enter data into the software. These guides are not meant to be large or laborious tools – they remove a key barrier for providers in using these efficient, cost-effective online methods of tax preparation. Here are links to the guides for each software: Turbo Tax H&R Block TaxAct Once the tax software is released for the 2022 tax year, the guides will be updated with screenshots and videos instructing child care providers which areas they need focus on to ensure they have what they need to prepare their taxes. Details about the guides are available on the WECA website.
May 27, 2020 Saving for Your Child’s College Tuition Saving for college isn’t impossible. All you need is a plan. The Pennsylvania 529 College and Career Savings Program two plans and many investment options that have helped over 205,000 families of all income levels answer one of their biggest financial concerns: how to afford college. Join the Pennsylvania 529 College and Career Savings Program for their webinar to learn more. About During the webinar, participants will learn about the following topics: how you can save for college and save on your Pennsylvania income taxes; how you can avoid paying any federal or state income taxes on your college savings growth; how you can save for college with little impact on your chances for financial aid; how you can save for a semester of college today and cover a semester in the future no matter when or how much tuition has increased; and how saving can be made easy. Registration Webinar sessions are available on the dates listed below. Please use the links to navigate to the event’s registration pages. Friday, May 29, 2020 | 10 – 11 a.m. | GoToWebinar Tuesday, June 16, 2020 | 12 – 1:30 p.m. | GoToWebinar More Information For more information, please contact the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program at 800.440.4000 or PA529@patreasury.gov.
