To qualify for free tax preparation, you must meet the following criteria:

Income for 2024: $67,000 or less (single or married filing jointly)

No rental income

No bankruptcy declared in 2024

No self-employment income involving inventory

Citizenship: U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or resident alien (or married to one)

Foreign Students: Send us an email

Additional qualifications may apply in rare cases. If you do not meet these criteria, we are unable to prepare your tax return. If your income exceeds this threshold, please contact Andrew Kochian at andrew@unitedwaygcr.org or call 518-456-2200, as some sites may still be able to assist with your return.

• Social Security Card

• Photo ID

• Bank Account Information: Routing and account numbers for direct deposit.

• Previous Tax Returns: Federal and NY State returns from last year (if applicable).

• Identity Protection PIN (if applicable): If you were a victim of identity theft and received an IRS IP PIN, bring the most recent one (IRS Letter CP01A). Retrieve it online or call the IRS at 800-908-4490 if needed.

• Income Documents

• Bring all applicable forms for any income received:

• Wages: Form W-2.

• Unemployment: Form 1099-G (retrieve online at NYS Tax if needed).

• Social Security Benefits: Form SSA-1099.

• Pension Distributions: Form 1099-R.

• Self-Employment Income: Forms 1099-K, NEC, or MISC (check ride-share accounts for forms).

• Gambling Winnings: Form W-2G.

• Brokerage Statements - Sale of Stock: Form 1099-B, Dividens: From 1099-DIV, Interest: Form 1099-INT.

• Other Income: Bring any additional tax forms showing income not listed here.

• Expense Documents

• If applicable, bring forms for these deductible expenses:

• Mortgage Interest: Form 1098.

• College Tuition: Form 1098-T (available via the student’s college account).

• Student Loan Interest: Form 1098-E.

• Health Insurance: Form 1095-A (from NY Marketplace, if applicable).

• Charitable Contributions: Summary of donations (cash and non-cash).

• Child Care Expenses: Provider details and amounts paid.

• Self-Employment Expenses: Itemized business expenses (e.g., mileage, supplies).

Every single VITA volunteer providing in-person tax filing help for the community goes through mandatory training from the IRS. This training takes approximately 20-30 hours. VITA volunteer tax return preparers go through required certification through the IRS to prepare taxes and perform quality reviews of returns.

The requirement to file a federal income tax return depends on your gross income, your filing status, your age, and whether you are a dependent. You may have to file a tax return even if your gross income is less than the amount required to file.

To determine if you need to file a tax return, use the “Do I need to File a Tax Return?” IRS screener tool.

Even if you aren’t required to file, it’s important to check to see if you are eligible for hundreds or thousands of dollars in tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Child Tax Credit (CTC).