File Your Taxes for Free!

Another year, another tax filing deadline approaching. Is it really time to think about taxes again?!

Fortunately, here at United Way of King County’s Free Tax Preparation Campaign, taxes are pretty much all we ever think about. And we’re here to help.

Do you need free tax assistance?

Every year for the past 20 years, United Way has established free, volunteer-supported tax preparation sites across King County. In collaboration with the IRS, we work with dozens of community partners and engage hundreds of dedicated volunteers to open free tax preparation sites across King County. This year, we will have 17 tax sites, as well as a virtual tax site.

How does it work?

United Way is an equal opportunity provider, and anyone who earned less than $80,000 in 2022 can use our services. Our sites are accessible (Americans with Disabilities Act compliant), and our volunteers are happy to work with anyone, regardless of health conditions, impairments, or limited English proficiency.

Here are some tips:

• Visit org to view a map of all United Way Free Tax Preparation sites, including days and hours of operation.
• No appointment is necessary. Once you’ve found the free tax prep site for you, you can just walk right in with your documents and get your taxes prepared by one of our volunteers.
• If you bring your direct deposit information (your bank account and routing numbers), our tax prep volunteers will ensure that your refund (or tax payment) will arrive directly in your account.
• We offer back tax preparation services for tax years 2017–
• Did you miss out on your stimulus checks in 2020 and 2021? We can help!

We recommend visiting a tax site between now and early March to avoid the rush. Our tax sites get very busy close to the filing deadline, which is April 18^th this year.

What do you need to bring with you?

Here’s a checklist to help you plan your visit to a United Way Free Tax Preparation site:

• Photo ID (and your spouse’s photo ID, if filing jointly)
• Social Security (SSN) card or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for each person on your return (including dependents)
  • Note: The IRS no longer allows us to accept prior-year returns as proof of your SSN or ITIN, even if it was prepared by United Way.
• All income documents (W-2, 1099s, Social Security income documents, etc.)
• Your spouse (if filing jointly)
• Business expense documents (if filing for self-employment income)
• If anyone in your household is insured through the WA HealthPlan Marketplace (Washington Healthplanfinder), bring Form 1095-A and each dependent’s proof of income.

Are you unable to make it to a tax site but you need assistance to file?

We can help with our virtual tax site! Our virtual tax site will work in much the same way as our in-person site: a team of volunteers will receive your documents, go over them with you, request a digital signature, then electronically file your return for you—all without you having to leave your home.

Our virtual tax site will open on January 31 and will be available every day of the week, except Fridays, through the tax season. You will find a link to the virtual tax site on uwkc.org/need-help/tax-help/.

Have questions about free tax assistance?

Visit FreeTaxExperts.org for a list of frequently asked questions and more information about the program. Are you interested in filing by yourself and just want to know where you can file online for free? We have information about that on our website, too.

Don’t pay to file your taxes. Your refund is your money.

Contributor Casey Lantz is the Outreach and Relationship Specialist with the Tax Credits and Financial Stability team at United Way of King County. See also “Serve Your Community with United Way’s Free Tax Preparation Campaign” (AgeWise King County, December 2022).