Tax Preparation Resources

Need the status of your refund?
You will need: your Social Security Number, Filing Status, and expected refund.

     Internal Revenue Service
     https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/irfof/lang/en/irfofgetstatus.jsp, or 1-800-829-1954

    District of Columbia
    https://www.taxpayerservicecenter.com/individual/Ind_RefundStatus_Logon.jsp, 
    or 202-727-4829

    Maryland
    https://interactive.marylandtaxes.com/INDIV/refundstatus/home.aspx

    Virginia
    http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=WhereIsMyRefund, or (804) 367-2486

Information on Taxability of Settlement Payments

See IRS Publicaiton 4345:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4345.pdf

Links to state tax forms and instructions: www.taxadmin.org/fta/link/forms.html

Finding Amount of Unemployment Received

• DC unemployment reported on form 1099: https://does.dcnetworks.org/claimantservices/
  (scroll down for “Form 1099 data” link)
• Maryland unemployment reported on 1099-G:
  http://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/1099ginfo.shtml
• Virginia Unemployment. Direct taxpayer to their unemployment office.

To find out if an Education institute is accredited: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx

Finding information needed for Schedule A and Schedule D

• Resource for determining valuation of donated goods
  • Pub. 561: Determining the Value of Donated Property
  • http://www.goodwill.org/get-involved/donate/taxes-and-your-donation/
  • http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/D477340FFA28755C8525743D0049D1EF?openDocument
• Determining basis of investments.  Call the volunteers at Carnegie Library (10 or 20 available during tax season) at 412-281-7141.

Maryland Homeowner's Tax Credit and Renter's Tax Credit:

• Separate from the tax return, due September 1st
• Information on the Renter's Credit at: http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/rtc.html
• Information on the Homeowner's Credit at: http://www.dat.state.md.us/sdatweb/htc.html

DC Property tax database to find out:

• Amount of Property Tax Paid by client
• If property is paying tax (if not, may be tax exempt and client may not be eligible for renter's credit)
• Find out registered name and address of property owner

Steps to take:
1. Go to: https://www.taxpayerservicecenter.com/RP_Search.jsp?search_type=Assessment
2. Fill in address and click on "Search Now"
3. Click on the Square/Suffix/Lot number
4. Scroll down and click on "View Tax Information"
5. Click in the Real Property Tax tab

Find out what ward you live in, in DC: http://citizenatlas.dc.gov/atlasapps/reporthometab.aspx

Marital Status Issues
www.unmarried.org (for determining which states have common law marriage)

Resources for clients needing help to determine if they are still married to a long-time separated spouse, or who are interested in divorce.  

• DC: http://www.dccourts.gov/internet/public/aud_divorce/main.jsf    or, http://www.dcbar.org/for_the_public/programs_and_services/divorce.cfm
• MD: http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=177&state_code=MD