Bilingual resources in Las Vegas for no-cost 2024 tax prep

Tax prep is a challenge for all Americans, but it’s even more difficult for Spanish speakers with little to no English skills, especially if they don’t have the resources to pay for an expensive tax attorney.

With tax returns due on April 15, 2024, and tax season (January through April) well underway, there’s no time like the present for anyone in this predicament to seek bilingual tax prep resources.

In Las Vegas, limited English speakers may qualify for one-on-one help preparing their basic income tax return–and it won’t cost a penny. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers two free tax programs: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).

VITA and TCE pair limited English speakers with IRS-certified volunteers at several sites in Las Vegas. The volunteers undergo extensive tax law training, above and beyond IRS standards, to help those who qualify to prepare a basic tax return,

According to the Nevada Free Taxes Coalition (NFTC), a non-profit VITA partner that provides free income tax preparation to low to moderate-income taxpayers, VITA has a 90 percent accuracy rate, the highest in the industry.

The NFTC website states that the annual training that VITA volunteers undergo “helps prevent the IRS from performing additional verification and reduces the time taxpayers spend to get tax filing mistakes corrected.”

VITA has been around for more than 50 years helping taxpayers file millions of federal and state returns. In addition to those in need of language assistance, VITA aids those with disabilities and those making less than $64,000 a year.

TCE comes in handy for senior-age taxpayers who have questions about pensions and retirement.

Where to find bilingual tax help

VITA and TCE sites are usually based at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations in the Las Vegas Valley. Many of them have Spanish-speaking volunteers or a Spanish interpreter.

There are more than a couple dozen locations in the Las Vegas area, including:

• The Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas, 823 S. 6th Street: For information or to schedule an appointment, call (702) 477-2700.
• Chicanos por la Causa, 555 N. Maryland Parkway: For information or to schedule an appointment, call (702) 333-5680.
• The Las Vegas Library District through the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program: To find a library and other sites, use the AARP Site Locator Tool.
• In-person help at several Las Vegas locations through the Nevada Free Taxes Coalition (NFTC). For more information or an appointment, call 702-987-4625.
• In-person and virtual appointments through Southern Nevada Tax Assistance (SNVTA). In-person can be scheduled online. For a virtual appointment, call 702-350-2996.

To find the tax prep location closest to you, use the VITA Site Locator Tool or call 1-800-906-9887. The tool will provide locations, contact information, languages, services, and appointment requirements.

Before booking an appointment, make sure the chosen site has a Spanish speaker or Spanish interpreter available. Limited English speakers may also want to consider bringing along a friend or family member who speaks English and Spanish.

Additional bilingual resources

• Tax tips in Spanish – AARP
• IRS in Spanish: Find answers to common tax questions
• What to bring to a tax prep appointment– SNVTA
• What to bring to a tax prep appointment – NFTC

Call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 for assistance in Spanish

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.