Important Documents to Bring to the AARP Tax-Aide Site

 AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free, individualized tax preparation for low-to moderate-income taxpayers - especially those 60 and older. To find a location nearest you go to:
www.aarp.org/applicatio…/VMISLocator/taxAideLocations.action

After you've found an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site, you will need to bring the following documents with you: 

• Government issued identification
• Last year's tax return
• Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents
• Checkbook or pre-printed direct deposit information for your reloadable prepaid card showing routing number and direct deposit account number if you want to do a direct deposit of any refund(s).
  

Income

• W-2 from each employer
• Unemployment compensation statements
• SSA-1099 form showing the total Social Security benefits paid to you for the year, or Form RRB-1099, Tier 1 Railroad Retirement benefits
• 1099 forms reporting interest (1099-INT), dividends (1099-DIV), proceeds from sales (1099-B), as well as documentation showing the original purchase price of your sold assets
• 1099-R form if you received a pension or annuity, especially if you had a portion withheld for income tax purposes
• 1099-MISC form showing any miscellaneous income
  

Payments
You will need to bring all forms and canceled checks indicating federal and state income tax paid (including quarterly estimated tax payments).
Deductions
Most taxpayers have a choice of taking either a standard deduction or itemizing their deductions. If you have a substantial amount of deductions, you may want to itemize. You will need to bring the following information:

• 1098 form showing any home mortgage interest
• Receipts or canceled checks for medical/dental expenses (including doctor and hospital bills and medical insurance premiums), receipts for prescription medicines, costs of assisted living services and bills for home improvements, such as ramps and railings for people with disabilities
• Receipts for contributions to charity
• Receipts or canceled checks for all tax income and property taxes you paid, as well as records of tax refunds
  

Credits

• Dependent care provider information (name, employer ID or Social Security number)
• Receipts, canceled checks or 1099 forms related to continuing education

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Information
Be sure to bring relevant documents with you to prove you are in compliance with the ACA. You will need one of the following:

• Documentation proving health care coverage for you, your spouse and all your dependents
• Information indicating that you were covered for at least nine months of the year
• Form 1095-A (which you will receive by Jan. 31, 2015) if you purchased insurance through the Marketplace/Exchange
• Documentation of a Health Care Exemption received from the IRS or the Marketplace/Exchange
• Learn more about how the ACA affects your taxes 

Special Enrollment Period for Tax Season March 15th to April 30th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 20, 2015                                                            Contact: CMS Media Relations

                                                                                       (202) 690-6145 | press@cms.hhs.gov

CMS Announces Special Enrollment Period for Tax Season

Eligible consumers have from March 15 through April 30 to enroll in coverage

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today a special enrollment period (SEP) for individuals and families who did not have health coverage in 2014 and are subject to the fee or “shared responsibility payment” when they file their 2014 taxes in states which use the Federally-facilitated Marketplaces (FFM). This special enrollment period will allow those individuals and families who were unaware or didn’t understand the implications of this new requirement to enroll in 2015 health insurance coverage through the FFM.

For those who were unaware or didn’t understand the implications of the fee for not enrolling in coverage, CMS will provide consumers with an opportunity to purchase health insurance coverage from March 15 to April 30. If consumers do not purchase coverage for 2015 during this special enrollment period, they may have to pay a fee when they file their 2015 income taxes.

Those eligible for this special enrollment period live in states with a Federally-facilitated Marketplace and:

·  Currently are not enrolled in coverage through the FFM for 2015,

·  Attest that when they filed their 2014 tax return they paid the fee for not having health coverage in 2014, and

·  Attest that they first became aware of, or understood the implications of, the Shared Responsibility Payment after the end of open enrollment (February 15, 2015) in connection with preparing their 2014 taxes.

The special enrollment period announced today will begin on March 15, 2015 and end at 11:59 pm E.S.T. on April 30, 2015. If a consumer enrolls in coverage before the 15th of the month, coverage will be effective on the first day of the following month.

This year’s tax season is the first time individuals and families will be asked to provide basic information regarding their health coverage on their tax returns. Individuals who could not afford coverage or met other conditions may be eligible to receive an exemption for 2014. To help consumers who did not have insurance last year determine if they qualify for an exemption, CMS also launched a health coverage tax exemption tool today on HealthCare.gov and CuidadodeSalud.gov.

"We recognize that this is the first tax filing season where consumers may have to pay a fee or claim an exemption for not having health insurance coverage," said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “Our priority is to make sure consumers understand the new requirement to enroll in health coverage and to provide those who were not aware or did not understand the requirement with an opportunity to enroll in affordable coverage this year.”

Most taxpayers, about three quarters, will only need to check a box when they file their taxes to indicate that they had health coverage in 2014 through their employer, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans care or other qualified health coverage that qualifies as “minimum essential coverage.” The remaining taxpayers - about one-quarter - will take different steps. It is expected that 10 to 20 percent of taxpayers who were uninsured for all or part of 2014 will qualify for an exemption from the requirement to have coverage. A much smaller fraction of taxpayers, an estimated 2 to 4 percent, will pay a fee because they made a choice to not obtain coverage and are not eligible for an exemption.

Americans who do not qualify for an exemption and went without health coverage in 2014 will have to pay a fee – $95 per adult or 1 percent of their income, whichever is greater – when they file their taxes this year. The fee increases to $325 per adult or 2% of income for 2015. Individuals taking advantage of this special enrollment period will still owe a fee for the months they were uninsured and did not receive an exemption in 2014 and 2015. This special enrollment period is designed to allow such individuals the opportunity to get covered for the remainder of the year and avoid additional fees for 2015.

The Administration is committed to providing the information and tools tax filers need to understand the new requirements. Part of this outreach effort involves coordinating efforts with nonprofit organizations and tax preparers who provide resources to consumers and offer on the ground support. If consumers have questions about their taxes, need to download forms, or want to learn more about the fee for not having insurance, they can find information and resources at www.HealthCare.gov/Taxes or www.IRS.gov. Consumers can also call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. Consumers who need assistance filing their taxes can visitIRS.gov/VITA or IRS.gov/freefile

Consumers seeking to take advantage of the special enrollment period can find out if they are eligible by visiting https://www.healthcare.gov/get-coverage Consumers can find local help at: Localhelp.healthcare.gov or call the Federally-facilitated Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596. TTY users should call 1-855-889-4325. Assistance is available in 150 languages. The call is free.

For more information about Health Insurance Marketplaces, visit: www.healthcare.gov/marketplace

CMS Blog: http://blog.cms.gov/2015/02/20/what-consumers-need-to-know-about-corrected-form-1095-as/

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Get CMS news at cms.gov/newsroom, sign up for CMS news via email and follow CMS on Twitter@CMSgov

Osceola Saves Financial Fair

Money $ense

Fair Lending Event

Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida

FAIR LENDING
Mortgage Rescue Scam Prevention
“How to Make Sure You
Are Not A Victim”

Hart Memorial Library in Kissimmee
211 E. Dakin Ave
Saturday, Oct. 29th, 2011 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
or
Wednesday, Nov. 9th, 2011 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

This location is wheelchair accessible. If you
need special accommodations, let us know .
If you are unable to make either meeting, you
can contact CLSMF for educational materials on
Mortgage Rescue Fraud and to learn about our
services. Call CLSMF at (407) 841-7777 ext. 2117

First Time Homebuyer Classes

First-time Homebuyer Classes

A Home of Your Own is a first-time homebuyer class open to all individuals interested in buying a home. If you are seeking to apply for the Osceola County S.H.I.P. Downpayment Assistance program or Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), this class is a pre-requisite to qualifying for assistance. All applicants, co-signers and spouses will need to receive a class certificate. 

2010 A Home of Your Own Class Schedule

All classes are offered as a 4-part series from 6:00pm - 9:00pm unless otherwise specified.*  The cost of the class is $5.00.** To Receive a class certificate, YOU MUST ATTEND ALL 4 CLASSES. There are NO EXCUSED absences or exceptions made.

 

October 5, 12, 19, 26

Online & In-person Registration begins September 7 at 8:00 am

October 5, 12, 19, 26 (Spanish only) **new dates**

Online & In-person Registration begins September 7 at 8:00 am

Please Note: This class does not guarantee that you will be eligible to receive funds towards purchasing a home, but rather helps you meet one of the requirements to apply for NSP.

Class Registation

There are 2 ways to register:

1. In-person Registration - UF/IFAS Osceola County Extension Services, 1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee, 34744. Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please do not come until the day specified for registration.
2. Online Registration,Click Here for more information.

Registration for this class fills up quickly!

* The Osceola County Extension Services reserves the right to change dates/time at any time.

** Additional fees are charged for online registration. Click here for more information.

For more information, please call (321) 697-3000.