The State April 2012

of Ohio offers resources to aid in your 2014 tax preparations. Here are some sources of help that can make income tax time easy: Ohio Earned Income Tax Coalition (EITC) The Ohio Earned Income Tax Coalition and its members throughout the state offer assistance with tax returns. To find an EITC Coalition in your area, call the Ohio Benefits Bank at (800) 648-1176. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) This program helps people with low-to-moderate incomes prepare their own income tax returns. For more information, or to locate the nearest volunteer, go to VITA or call (800) 829-1040 toll-free.

Taxes Toolbox State resources to help guide you through tax time

Internal Revenue Service (E-FILE assistance) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers Free File, a free federal income tax preparation and electronic filing program for eligible taxpayers, developed through a partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Free File Alliance LLC, a group of private sector tax software companies. For more information about online help, tax software, or any other tax issues, visit the IRSs website at http:// www.irs.gov/efile/index.html. Assistance for Military Personnel The Armed Forces Tax Council (AFTC) coordinates the military-based VITA Program. These sites provide free tax advice, tax preparation, return filing and other tax assistance to military members and their families. Volunteers address military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the EITC guidelines. To locate assistance, contact the legal assistance office at the closest military base or visit the U.S. Armed Forces Legal Assistance website at www.legalassistance.law.af.mil.

Ohio I-File Streamlines Tax Process

More and more Ohioans are turning to Ohio I-File, a free service that allows almost any taxpayer to file a return online. In fact, if you still file the old-fashioned way by mailing a return to Columbus you are now in the minority. The Ohio Department of Taxations Web site shows that now, more than half of Ohios income tax returns are filed electronically. There are two big advantages to trying Ohio I-File: It speeds up tax refunds. If you are due a refund and choose the direct deposit option, the money will be in your bank account in seven to ten days. It saves taxpayer dollars. It costs about three times as much to process a paper return as it does to process an electronic return. For more information on Ohio I-File or any other question about filing your state income tax return, visit The Ohio Department of Taxations website at tax.ohio.gov or call (800) 282-1780.

Digital filing will speed refund

State Representative Stephen Slesnick Contact Information

Columbus 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215 (614) 466-8030 Phone (614) 719-6952 Fax

District Office-Stark County 4725 Greenbriar Sq. NE Canton, Ohio 44714 (330) 353-0373 Phone

Send me an e-mail! Rep49@ohiohouse.gov On the Web: http://www.house.state.oh.us/

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2014 State Representative Stephen Slesnick