If you are a new client to Affordable Tax Service or plan on using our drop-off method to get your tax return prepared, please read and fill out the following forms and drop-off, mail, or email it to us.
Helpful Documents
1. Gather all your tax information for the year; including personal information, income and tax information, deduction/adjustment information, and tax credit information. If you need help deciding what you need to bring with you, see the Information Needed Checklist.

2. Meet with your tax preparer with your tax information. If you are not able to meet with your tax preparer then mail, e-mail, or drop-off your tax information.

3. After your return is complete, sign a Form 8879 for E-file authorization and pay the tax preparation fees.

4. How do you want to handle your refund and/or balance due?

Balance due:
  • Automatic Withdraw: Provide your bank routing number and account number and specify a date before 4/15 that you want the balance to be withdrawn. 
  • Mail: Mail in voucher and payment with the envelope provided.
Refund:
  • Automatic Deposit: Provide your bank routing number and account number. 
  • Mail: Verify your mailing address.
  • Refund Transfer: Please discuss with preparer for more information.

5. Come in and pick up your Tax Return. If you are unable to pick up the copy of your return please discuss mailing options with your preparer or sign a consent release form for someone else to pick up your return.


Thank you!


Instructions for Tax Returns
TAX TIPS
Are you cleaning out your filing cabinet? Refer to the following document to help you decide what you need to keep and for how long.
If you are unsure about what all you need to bring with you, please refer to the following document.
If you itemize on your tax return and need help determining what you can use to itemize, please refer to the following checklist.
Filing Status
There are five different filing statuses to choose from when filing your tax return; Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, Head of Household, and Qualifying Widow(er). Here are some tips to help you understand the different filing statuses.
  • Your marital status on the last day of the year determines your marital status for the entire year.

  • If more than one filing status applies to you, choose the one that gives you the lowest tax obligation.

  • Single filing status generally applies to anyone who is unmarried, divorced or legally separated according to state law.

  • A married couple may file a joint return together. The couple’s filing status would be Married Filing Jointly.

  • If your spouse died during the year and you did not remarry during 2010, usually you may still file a joint return with that spouse for the year of death.

  • A married couple may elect to file their returns separately. Each person’s filing status would generally be Married Filing Separately.

  • Head of Household generally applies to taxpayers who are unmarried. You must also have paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home for you and a qualifying person to qualify for this filing status.

  • You may be able to choose Qualifying Widow(er) with Dependent Child as your filing status if your spouse died during 2008 or 2009, you have a dependent child and you meet certain other conditions.

For more information, see IRS Publication 501.


Education Credits
The American Opportunity Credit
  • The credit can be up to $2,500 per eligible student.
  • It is available for the first four years of post-secondary education.
  • Forty percent of the credit is refundable, which means that you may be able to receive up to $1,000, even if you owe no taxes.
  • The student must be pursuing an undergraduate degree or other recognized educational credential.
  • The student must be enrolled at least half time for at least one academic period.
  • Qualified expenses include tuition and fees, coursed related books supplies and equipment.
  • The full credit is generally available to eligible taxpayers who make less than $80,000 or $160,000 for married couples filing a joint return.

Lifetime Learning Credit
  • The credit can be up to $2,000 per eligible student.
  • It is available for all years of postsecondary education and for courses to acquire or improve job skills.
  • The maximum credited is limited to the amount of tax you must pay on your return.
  • The student does not need to be pursuing a degree or other recognized education credential.
  • The full credit is generally available to eligible taxpayers who make less than $60,000 or $120,000 for married couples filing a joint return.
Why It Pays To Hire A Tax Professional
The following is derived from an article from the March/April 2011 Issue of the "Federal Tax Alert, A Publication of the National Society of Tax Professionals."


The IRS's numbers show that an increasing number of taxpayers are using software programs to prepare and file their own returns. However, the cost savings may not always be worth it. With the complexity of the laws, it is easy for taxpayers to overlook required fillings and to mishandle deductions. Tax professionals can help ensure that taxpayers do not pay too much or too little and that they avoid the ever-increasing penalties.

The National Society of Tax Professionals undertook a recent survey of court cases where taxpayers tried to avoid penalties by claiming the tax software program they were using caused an underpayment of the tax. In case after case, the Court denied relief to the taxpayers, pointing out that the programs are only as good as the information the taxpayers puts into them. In not one case did the taxpayer win with this argument.

Hiring a tax professional can pay for itself very quickly with just the addition of minimal deductions and the avoidance of even small penalty amounts.


Social Security
For more information regarding social security please visit, www.socialsecurity.gov. Here you can change your address where your Social Security check, set up or change direct deposit of benefits, request an income statement (SSA-1099), and access many other services.

If you are interested in having taxes withheld from your Social Security checks, please visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/taxwithold.htm