Filing your taxes can be anxiety-inducing. The list of worries is long – ‘what happens if I make a mistake? Is interacting with the government safe for me and my community? Is using commercial software or hiring a tax professional in my budget?’
The good news is that help—free help—is widely available.
From IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites to Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) or AARP Foundation TaxAide locations, Oregon taxpayers needing free assistance have over 107 different places across the state where they can get free in-person help filing their taxes.
This free tax help is also available online through the United Way’s MyFreeTaxes program.
Make an appointment at a free tax help site near you by using the links for each organization on the Department of Revenue’s webpage, or consult the department’s interactive map.
Taxpayers are encouraged to bring their tax information with them, including:
- Social security number or ITIN for everyone on their tax return
- Forms W-2 (wages from a job)
- Forms 1099-G, 1099-R, 1099-INT (other income) if applicable
- Form SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefits)
- Bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit (can be found on their checks)
- Last year’s tax return
The IRS’s VITA and TCE programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals.
The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns, including:
- People who generally make $69,000 or less
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers
Tax-Aide has several free options for providing taxpayer assistance to those who need it. These options vary by location and are subject to change. Taxpayers can get:
- In-person service where taxes are prepared and electronically filed by IRS-certified tax counselors;
- Or help preparing their own taxes with free access to software with help from an IRS-certified counselor available if desired. Once the counselor completes the taxes, the return is reviewed, approved, and signed by the taxpayer(s), and then electronically transmitted to the IRS and eventually to the Oregon Department of Revenue.
In addition to those options Department of Revenue volunteers will offer free help guiding taxpayers through the filing process using free public-access computers and Wi-Fi internet service at select WorkSource Oregon centers across the state.
Events are planned 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following WorkSource Oregon locations.
- February 25—Beaverton, 241 SE Edgeway Drive
- March 4—Eugene, 2510 Oakmont Way
- March 11—Portland, 6401 SE Foster Road
- March 18—Lebanon, 44 Industrial Way
- March 25—Bend, 11007 SW Emkay Drive
Taxpayers are encouraged to set up a Revenue Online account through the Department of Revenue’s website before coming to an event if they plan to use Direct File Oregon to file their Oregon personal income tax return.
Free tax assistance sites in Central and Eastern Oregon
La Pine Activity Center
16450 Victory Way
La Pine, OR
February 1—April 15
(541) 907-1433
New Hope Community Church Hermiston
1350 S Highway 395
Hermiston, OR 97838
February 2—April 8
(541) 701-9326
Bend Tax-Aide
1036 NE 5th St
Bend, OR
February 1—April 15
(541) 668-7597
South Morrow Tax-Aide
425 F St
Lexington, OR 97839
February 1—April 15
(541) 701-9326
NeighborImpact Redmond
2303 SW 1st St
Redmond, OR
February 1—April 15
(541) 526-3834
Latino Community Association
2680 NE Twin Knolls Dr, Suite 110
Bend, OR
February 1—April 15
(541) 788-4827
Warm Springs Community Action
1136 Paiute Ave
Warm Springs, OR
February 1—April 15
(541) 553-3148
Pendleton Community Room
501 SW Emigrant Ave
Pendleton, OR 97801
February 5—April 9
(541) 701-9326
