Tax Tips: More free help with your taxes

If yesterday's tips on free help with your taxes weren't enough for you, here's even more free help that you can get. The IRS sponsors a program called Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA), through which trained volunteers provide free preparation of basic tax returns for those who qualify. Low income taxpayers (earning $40,000 or less) are eligible to use the VITA program, and there are many sites around the country that are available.

The elderly can also participate in a program called Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE). These volunteers know more about issues facing the elderly, such as pensions, IRAs, and social security.

Finally, there is the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) sponsored by the IRS which helps lower income individuals who are in the middle of tax disputes. This program helps them with audits, appeals, collection issues, and tax litigation for free or at a minimal cost.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.