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PIM Savvy FAQs
IRS and Tax Related Questions
1. How do I know if I have to file a tax return?
Generally, most U.S. citizens and permanent residents who work in the United States need to file a tax return if they make more than a certain amount for the year.
Taxpayers may have to pay a penalty if they’re required to file a return but fail to do so. If they willfully fail to file a return, they may also be subject to additional fines and possible criminal prosecution.
For more information about who needs to file a tax return, go to irs.gov/individuals/check-if-you-need-to-file-a-tax-return
2. What should I do if I have incorrect or missing documents or need tax forms?
Taxpayers who haven’t received a W-2 or Form 1099 should contact the employer, payer or issuing agency and request the missing documents. This also applies for those who received an incorrect W-2 or Form 1099.
Taxpayers can also get in-person help at their local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center if they need tax forms, tax records or tax transcripts. Taxpayers need to call for an appointment after they find a Taxpayer Assistance Center near them.
For more information about IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers or to locate the nearest one, go to irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office
3. If I file my tax return late, can I still get a refund?
The latest date, by law, taxpayers can claim a credit or federal income tax refund for a specific tax year is generally the later of these 2 dates:
- 3 years from the date you filed your federal income tax return, or
- 2 years from the date you paid the tax.
This time period is called the Refund Statute Expiration Date (RSED).
For more information, go to irs.gov/filing/time-you-can-claim-a-credit-or-refund
4. Why should I get an IRS account and how do I sign up?
An IRS online account makes it easy for people to quickly get the tax planning info they need. With the same ease that taxpayers have when banking online or placing an online shopping order, they can log in and get the latest on their payment history, balance, and more.
To create or sign in to your IRS online account, go to irs.gov/payments/online-account-for-individuals
5. What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
The EITC helps low- to moderate-income workers and families get a tax break when they file their taxes. Eligible taxpayers can use the credit to reduce the taxes they owe and possibly increase their refund. The maximum credit amount for the 2025 tax year is $8,046.
For more information about the EITC, go to irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit-eitc
6. Where can I find information about maximum Adjusted gross income (AGI), investment income and credit amounts for the EITC?
To find out more information about qualifies as “earned income” for the EITC or to view the IRS Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) tables, go to irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/earned-income-and-earned-income-tax-credit-eitc-tables.
7. How can I determine if I qualify for the EITC?
Taxpayers can use the EITC assistant to check if they qualify for the EITC.
8. What is Direct File? How can I use it?
IRS Direct File allows taxpayers to prepare and file their taxes online – for free – directly with the IRS. Direct File is simple, accurate and secure.
For more information, to check eligibility, or to file your taxes online with Direct File go to directfile.irs.gov.
9. How can I contact an IRS certified tax preparers if I have additional questions?
All of PIM Savvy VITA’s tax preparers are IRS certified.
Email vita@pimsavvy.com or call/text 206-565-2961 x4 with any tax related questions you have.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
1. Who qualifies for VITA?
People who qualify for VITA include (but not limited to) either:
- Low to moderate income individuals (individuals or families who generally make $79,000 or less)
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Limited English-speaking taxpayers
*Note: If someone has higher income but has a disability or limited English Proficiency (LEP), then they qualify for VITA.
2. What tax years can PIM Savvy VITA prepare tax returns for?
PIM Savvy VITA can prepare tax returns for tax year 2024 or prior years back to 2019.
3. What types of tax forms and credits can PIM Savvy VITA prepare?
- Wages, salaries, etc. (Form W-2)
- Interest Income (Form 1099-INT)
- Dividends Received (Form 1099-DIV)
- State Tax Refunds (Form 1099-G)
- Unemployment Benefits (Form 1099-G)
- IRA Distributions (Form 1099-R)
- Pension Income (Forms 1099-R, RRB-1099-R, CSA-1099)
- Social Security Benefits (Form SSA-1099, RRB-1099)
- Simple Capital Gain/Loss (Form 1099-B) limited
- Sale of Home (Form 1099-S) limited
- Prior Year and Amended Returns
- Self-Employed Income (Form 1099-MISC, Form 1099-NEC and Form 1099-K) limited
- Gambling Winnings (Form W-2G)
- Cancellation of Debt (Form 1099-C) limited
- Health Savings Accounts (Form 1099-SA) limited
- Itemized Deductions limited
- Education Credits (Form 1098-T)
- Child Tax Credit
- Earned Income Credit
- Health Insurance Statements (Forms 1095-A, B or C)
4. What types of tax forms does PIM Savvy VITA NOT prepare?
- Schedule C with net loss, depreciation or business use of home
- Complex Schedule D, Capital Gains and Losses
- Form SS-5 (request for Social Security Number)
- Form 8606 (non-deductible IRA)
- Form 8814 (child taxed at parent’s tax rate)
- Form SS-8 (determination of worker status for purposes of federal employment taxes and income tax withholding)
- Parts 4 & 5 of Form 8962 (Allocation of Policy Amounts, Alternative Calculation for Year of Marriage)
- Returns with casualty/disaster losses
5. What do I need to bring to my VITA appointment?
- Please bring the following items to your VITA appointment:
- Your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter, and dates of birth for you, your spouse, and dependents on your tax return.
- Your Washington state driver’s license, state photo ID or other government issued identification that includes a photo.
- Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers.
- Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099).
- Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if received.
- A copy of last year’s federal return, if available.
- Your residential and mailing address.
- Your bank routing number and account number if you choose direct deposit.
For more information about what to bring to your VITA appointment, go to irs.gov/individuals/checklist-for-free-tax-return-preparation
6. What can I do before my VITA appointment to make the appointment go quicker?
If you want to save time at your VITA appointment, you can fill out Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview and Quality Review Sheet at home and bring the completed copy to your VITA appointment. All taxpayers who use a VITA site to file their tax return must fill out Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview and Quality Review Sheet.
- To view Form 13614-C in English, go to irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13614c.pdf
- To view Form 13614-C in Spanish, go to irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13614cs.pdf
7. How long will my VITA appointment be?
Appointments usually last 1.5 to 2 hours per tax return.
8. What is the process once I arrive at the PIM Savvy VITA site for my VITA appointment?
- After you arrive at one of our VITA sites, a VITA volunteer will greet you and confirm your VITA appointment.
- Next, you will be directed to the Intake/Interview table where you will fill out Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview and Quality Review Sheet (if you haven’t already).
- After you fill out Form 13614-C, the interview process will take place. During the interview process, a VITA volunteer will verify your identity and review Form 13614-C with you to ensure the information you provided is complete and accurate.
- After the interview process, your tax return will be prepared in the tax preparation software based on your intake interview, Form 13614-C and your supporting documents.
- Once your tax return has been prepared, you will be sent to a different VITA tax preparer to perform the quality review process. Every return prepared at a VITA site must go through the quality review process.
- After your tax return has gone through the quality review process, you will be advised verbally of your responsibility concerning the accuracy of the information you have provided to complete your tax return.
- Next you will sign your completed tax return
- Once you sign your tax return, the VITA tax preparer will submit your tax return to the IRS
- After your tax return is submitted to the IRS, you will be asked to wait 10-15 minutes until the IRS indicates if the return was accepted or rejected.
- If your tax return is accepted by the IRS, you will be provided a copy of your tax return and can leave at your convenience.
- If your tax return is rejected, the VITA tax preparer will determine the reason and will try to make corrections to the tax return if possible.
- Sometimes, taxpayers need to rectify the tax return by retrieving a form and bringing it back to the VITA site another day. If this situation occurs, the VITA tax preparer will explain the next steps.
9. Do your VITA sites have interpreters available?
PIM Savvy VITA sites have Spanish and Mandarin interpreters available on site. For assistance in other languages, PIM Savvy VITA sites also offer FREE over-the phone interpreter (OPI) services. OPI offers real-time interpretation services for numerous languages and the virtual call centers are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
For a list of languages offered by the OPI services, go to irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5633.pdf
10. Does PIM Savvy VITA provide virtual tax prep?
Yes! PIM Savvy VITA provides virtual tax preparation services. Appointments are required for all virtual tax preparation services.
Virtual tax prep is convenient and easy to do!
- Simply upload your tax documents through a secure platform and an IRS-certified VITA volunteer will review your documents.
- After your documents have been reviewed, you will meet with a VITA tax preparer through a virtual meeting to confirm the information provided and ask any clarifying questions. (Intake and Interview process)
- Next, your tax return will be prepared by the same VITA volunteer that you had your virtual meeting with.
- After your tax return has been prepared, you will have another virtual meeting with a different VITA tax preparer to review the tax return before it is filed electronically with the IRS. (Quality Review Process)
- Next you will sign your completed tax return
- Once you sign your tax return, the VITA tax preparer will submit your tax return to the IRS
To book your FREE virtual tax preparation appointment, go to pimsavvy.com/vita-virtual
11. How can I find information about all of PIM Savvy’s VITA events?
PIM Savvy VITA will operate four sites, two in Renton and two in Everett, for the 2025 tax season.
To view all PIM Savvy VITA events, go to pimsavvy.com/vita.
In addition, PIM Savvy VITA will have VITA Special Events in Kent, Everett, Bellevue, Mukilteo and more.
To view a list of all PIM Savvy VITA Special Events, go to pimsavvy.com/vita/#vita-special-events
12. Where can I find other free tax prep locations?
To find other free tax prep locations, use the IRS VITA locator: irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep
Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)
1. What is an Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)?
An ITIN is a tax processing number, issued by the IRS, for certain resident and nonresident aliens, their spouses, and their dependents. It is a nine-digit number beginning with the number “9”, has a range of numbers from “50” to “65”, “70” to “88”, “90” to “92” and “94” to “99” for the fourth and fifth digits and is formatted like a SSN (i.e. 9XX-7X-XXXX).
The ITIN is only available to individuals who are required to have a taxpayer identification number for tax purposes but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Only individuals who have a valid filing requirement or are filing a U.S. Federal income tax return to claim a refund of over-withheld tax are eligible to receive an ITIN. Generally, a U.S. Federal income tax return must accompany the ITIN application, unless the individual meets one of the exceptions.
ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have United States Federal tax filing and payment responsibilities under the Internal Revenue Code.
2. Who needs an ITIN?
If the following applies, the individual needs an ITIN and must apply for one:
- An individual does not have an SSN and is not eligible to obtain one, and
- The individual has a requirement to furnish a federal tax identification number or file a federal tax return, and
- The individual is one of the following:
- Nonresident alien who is required to file a U.S. tax return
- U.S. resident alien who is (based on days present in the United States) filing a U.S. tax return
- Dependent or spouse of a U.S. citizen/resident alien
- Dependent or spouse of a nonresident alien visa holder
- Nonresident alien claiming a tax treaty benefit
- Nonresident alien student, professor or researcher filing a U.S. tax return or claiming an exception
3. Can PIM Savvy help with ITIN applications?
Yes! PIM Savvy can assist you with ITIN applications and renewals.
Our Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) program will assist alien individuals and other foreign persons in obtaining Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) from the IRS. PIM Savvy will be able to review and determine if the required taxpayer documentation meets the IRS criteria for identification and foreign status in order to obtain an ITIN. Our services will prevent ITIN applicants from having to mail proof of identity and foreign status documents to the IRS.
For more information or to schedule your ITIN application/renewal appointment, go to pimsavvy.com/itin.
Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC)
1. What is the Washington Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC)?
The Washington Working Families Tax Credit is a refund of retail sales or use tax for low-to-moderate income Washington residents who meet certain eligibility requirements. Eligible individuals and families can receive a tax refund up to $1,290 for tax year 2024.
For more information about the WFTC, go to pimsavvy.com/wftc.
2. How can I determine if I qualify for the WFTC?
To determine if you qualify for the WFTC, use the Washington State Department of Revenue’s Working Families Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant. Go to workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov and click on the blue :See if you qualify” button.
Other Services
1. Does PIM Savvy provide financial coaching?
Yes! PIM Savvy offers FREE financial coaching. PIM Savvy Financial Coaches can help you create a budget/debt management plan, set savings goals, identify strategies to improve your credit score, and assist you with creating a resume, searching for jobs, preparing for an interview, applying for jobs online or starting a business.
For more information or to schedule your complimentary financial coaching appointment, go to pimsavvy.com/coaching.
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