United Way offers several services to prepare your taxes for free instead of paying someone. On average, American families spend more than $300 each year on tax preparation and filing fees. When companies offer advanced loans to complete your taxes, you still are not getting the refund you are owed. Paying for tax preparation services can mean the difference between paying down a credit card, having money in an emergency savings account or getting a car repaired.
Before you spend several hundred dollars on a fee-based service, connect with one of United Way's Free Tax Prep sites to access the service that meets your needs.
Low-to-moderate-income taxpayers, those on fixed incomes, people with disabilities and those with limited English language abilities are eligible for free tax preparation and filing. United Way of Greater Cincinnati supports more than 30 locations.
Download the list for Free Tax Prep for our summer locations (.PDF).
Free Tax Prep, an initiative of United Way of Greater Cincinnati, provides free income tax preparation and filing services. Funded by the IRS and powered by volunteers.
We offer services including preparing and filing your taxes on your behalf or supporting you in preparing and filing your taxes on your own.You can connect with Free Tax Prep online or in person. All in-person services have been modified to limit contact and ensure safe distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To determine the best Free Tax Prep Service for you, whether it's in-person or virtual, call United Way of Greater Cincinnati's 211 helpline or 513-762-7900.
The IRS will adjust a tax refund amount if the IRS finds discrepancies according to their records. The IRS has started issuing refunds for 2021 returns, and some individuals have noticed their amounts are less than expected. While this can happen for many reasons, there are two main reasons people can expect to see changes.
To understand how Federal returns are processed, visit the NTA Blog: Lifecycle of a Tax Return - Taxpayer Advocate Service on IRS.gov.Taxpayers can continue to check the status of their refund by utilizing the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool.
For those seeking information about their state return, you can visit the following state agencies:
Here are the details:
You can usually get help if you identify as low-to-moderate-income and live in the Greater Cincinnati area. In limited cases, income restrictions may apply based on total income and family size. For a list of forms that are not within our preparation scope, visit IRS.gov's Publication 3676-A (Rev. 10-2021) - (.PDF). This will also help you determine what forms can be prepared and the essential documents to ensure your taxes are prepared on your first visit.
Use the list below to gather all the documents and forms you'll need to get started with Free Tax Prep. Any item with a star (*) is mandatory; without it, you will be unable to access Free Tax Prep. All other items are highly recommended. For a full list of documents required to file taxes visit the Checklist for Free Tax Return Preparation | Internal Revenue Service (IRS.gov).
Call 211 or 513-762-7900 to find the best option for you.
Email us at freetax@uwgc.org.
Visit uwgc.org/tax-volunteer.