Nothing, they say, is inevitable except death and taxes. Tax season is upon us.

Preparing federal taxes can be complicated. So this installment of my series on government websites you should know is devoted to irs.gov, a helpful source of official information. It is well organized and easy to use––unlike the tax code.

Besides English, the site is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.  

Get free tax preparation help

Qualifying taxpayers can get free tax preparation through one of two programs: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or Tax Consulting for the Elderly. Click this box to find links to the publication that describes them and to a “what to bring” page.

Free file

Taxpayers with income less than $66,000 are eligible to use free filing software for both federal and state returns. IRS.gov links to a tool to determine eligibility and find software options. Taxpayers with a higher income need to do their own taxes, but IRS.gov offers free fillable forms—for federal returns only.

Disaster relief

In any given year, most people will not have to contend with disasters. For those who do, special tax law provisions may help them recover. The IRS may also grant them additional time to file and pay. This section of IRS.gov links to numerous general articles on the subject, plus information specifically for individuals, businesses, tax professionals, and charitable organizations. It also links to disaster planning videos.

Get your tax record

You ought to keep copies of your tax returns, as they contain information you might need to prepare future returns. In case you didn’t, or somehow you lost your returns, you can order various types of transcripts. You have the option of receiving them either online or by mail.

These transcripts are not copies of the returns. If you need a photocopy, you need to use Form 4506. This section of IRS.gov provides a link both to the form and information about it.

Get answers to tax questions

The IRS offers an Interactive Tax Assistant tool. You can enter keywords into a search tool to find, for example, what kinds of income are taxable, whether you can claim certain credits, and what expenses you can deduct. The page also has dozens of links to specific topics.

Find out how much you owe

I didn’t follow the link to view my own account. I can fill out my 1040 once a year, and that’s that. I don’t have to deal with estimated taxes. I haven’t gotten behind in paying. But for people in some kind of predicament, IRS.gov provides a means of looking up your account so you can look up key information, including the balance for each tax year for which you owe and up to 18 months of payment history.

Individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)

Most people can use their Social Security number. Not everyone required to file tax returns is even eligible to obtain one. They use an ITIN instead. This section of IRS.gov helps those people obtain it and determine if they need to renew one they already have.

Tax preparer ID number (PTIN)

If you help prepare someone else’s return and get paid for the service, you need a PTIN. Registered tax preparers have an online

Nothing, they say, is inevitable except death and taxes. Tax season is upon us. Preparing federal taxes can be complicated. So this installment of my series on government websites you should know is devoted to irs.gov, a helpful source of official information. It is well organized and easy to use––unlike the tax code.

Besides English, the site is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.  MORE TAG

PIX Screenshot 1, full size

Get free tax preparation help

Qualifying taxpayers can get free tax preparation through one of two programs: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or Tax Consulting for the Elderly. Click this box to find links to the publication that describes them and to a “what to bring” page.

Free file

Taxpayers with income less than $66,000 are eligible to use free filing software for both federal and state returns. IRS.gov links to a tool to determine eligibility and find software options. Taxpayers with a higher income need to do their own taxes, but IRS.gov offers free fillable forms—for federal returns only.

Disaster relief

In any given year, most people will not have to contend with disasters. For those who do, special tax law provisions may help them recover. The IRS may also grant them additional time to file and pay. This section of IRS.gov links to numerous general articles on the subject, plus information specifically for individuals, businesses, tax professionals, and charitable organizations. It also links to disaster planning videos.

Get your tax record

You ought to keep copies of your tax returns, as they contain information you might need to prepare future returns. In case you didn’t, or somehow you lost your returns, you can order various types of transcripts. You have the option of receiving them either online or by mail.

These transcripts are not copies of the returns. If you need a photocopy, you need to use Form 4506. This section of IRS.gov provides a link both to the form and information about it.

Get answers to tax questions

The IRS offers an Interactive Tax Assistant tool. You can enter keywords into a search tool to find, for example, what kinds of income are taxable, whether you can claim certain credits, and what expenses you can deduct. The page also has dozens of links to specific topics.

Find out how much you owe

I didn’t follow the link to view my own account. I can fill out my 1040 once a year, and that’s that. I don’t have to deal with estimated taxes. I haven’t gotten behind in paying. But for people in some kind of predicament, IRS.gov provides a means of looking up your account so you can look up key information, including the balance for each tax year for which you owe and up to 18 months of payment history.

Individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)

Most people can use their Social Security number. Not everyone required to file tax returns is even eligible to obtain one. They use an ITIN instead. This section of IRS.gov helps those people obtain it and determine if they need to renew one they already have.

Tax preparer ID number (PTIN)

If you help prepare someone else’s return and get paid for the service, you need a PTIN. Registered tax preparers have an online account at the IRS. They are eligible for inclusion in a public directory of preparers. This page has several links to “hot topics,” including whether you need a PTIN.

Below the fold, you can find links to what amounts to recent blog posts. I notice two news releases, some tips, a link to a page in the Interactive Tax Assistant, a downloadable mobile app, a video, and a recent tweet.

The footer has important links, including where to appeal an adverse decision and what to do in case of identity theft or phishing.

Screen shots taken on February 13, 2018.