IRS extends Offers in Compromise | Free tax help from IRS, H&R Block and Turbo Tax | Win $3,000 in Jackson Hewitt contest

IRS extends Offers in Compromise

The Internal Revenue Service has built in more flexibility to work with tax payers who are unable to currently pay their full tax obligation. The Offers in Compromise allows the tax payer to settle the debt for less than the full amount owed. This year, however, the compromise is not only based on past income, but on current and potential income as well. That gives the IRS more room to work with the recently unemployed or those with economic struggles.

Additionally, the IRS is hosting a series of Saturday Open Houses beginning March 27 to give tax payers an opportunity to work directly with IRS employees to address issues and ask questions about the tax credits available to them. This online tax center provides help for the unemployed.

Free Tax Advice Thursday

There are 300 tax law changes in effect this season. If you have questions, you’re probably not alone. H&R Block will provide free tax advice for 24 hours on Thursday, March 25. More than 50 tax experts will be on hand to answer questions when you call 1-866-HRBLOCK (1-866-472-5625). You can also have questions answered via email at taxtalk@hrhelp.com. You can also submit questions online at http://getitrighthrblock.com or via their iPhone with the H&R Block Tax Answers application.

Free help from Turbo Tax

If you’re a Twitter user, there’s another way to get free tax help as well, this time from Turbo Tax. You can tweet a question to @TeamTurboTax and get free answers from a team of Turbo Tax product experts. The service began Feb. 1.

Enter tax refund contest to win $3,000

Want to double your tax benefit? Jackson Hewitt tax services is offering an opportunity to do that. The average tax refund crept over $3,000 for 2009, according to numbers released this week by the Internal Revenue Service. This contest challenging participants to enter their best tales about how they’ll spend their refund rewards $3,000 to the winner.

Free copies of tax returns

Atlanta-area Staples office supply stores is offering free copies of tax returns up to 30 pages (15 double-sided sheets) starting Saturday, March 27.

You enter by going to the Jackson Hewitt’s The Big Check Facebook page. From April 1 to April 15, fans of The Big Check Facebook page can vote to select a winner. The winner will be announced May 3.

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