Note: all remaining AARP Tax Prep events have been cancelled.

Do you shudder at the thought of April 15 and wring your hands during the annual financial ritual? You are not alone. Taxes are complicated and the rules to change from year to year. To ease your tax anxiety, we’ve compiled a listing of free tax preparation at the Free Library and elsewhere, as well as where you can obtain tax forms.

• West Oak Lane Library offers free tax preparation from AARP each Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., until the first Wednesday in April. To make an appointment, call 215-685-2843.
   
• AARP will also help you complete your taxes at the Fumo Family Library in South Philadelphia on the following Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.:
  • February 21 and 28
  • March 6, 20, and 27
  • April 3

Call 215-803-6402 to make an appointment.

Note: All current tax appointments have been filled at the Bustleton and Katherine Drexel libraries. 

Other Philadelphia AARP locations, dates, and times offering free tax help in Philadelphia include:

North Philadelphia

• Lutheran Settlement House | 1340 Frankford Avenue | Mondays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., until April 15. Please call 215-426-8610, ext. 1202 to request an appointment. 
• Miller Memorial Baptist Church | 1518 N. 22nd Street | Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., until April 15 | Call 215-765-3616 for an appointment.
• Center for Leadership | 4700 Wissahickon Avenue. Ste 126 | Monday through Saturday, various hours. | Call 215-951-0300, Ext. 3311 for an appointment. 

North West Philadelphia

• West Oak Land Senior Center | 7210-18 Ogontz Avenue | Mondays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., until April 15 | Call 215-685-3511 for an appointment

South Philadelphia

• Guerin Recreation Center | 2201 South 16th Street | Saturdays  9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Call 215-803-6402 for an appointment. 
• South Philadelphia Older Adult Center | 1430 East Passyunk Avenue | Mondays 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., until April 15 | Call 215-685-1697 for an appointment
• Philadelphia Senior Center | 509 S. Broad Street | Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., by appointment only | Call 215-546-5879

Southwest Philadelphia:

• Southwest Senior Center | 6916 Elmwood Avenue | Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., until April 15 | Call 215-937-1880 to make an appointment. 

West Philadelphia

• Calvery Baptist Church | 6122 Haverford Avenue | Tuesdays, Thursdays, and selective Saturdays in March | This is a walk-in, first-come / first-serve service with daily capacity limits - arrive early | 215-747-9979

Visit AARP's website for a list of documents to bring with you to your appointment. 

In addition to the library and AARP, Campaign for Working Families offers free tax assistance for low to moderate-income households at the following locations:

Center City

• Center City Super Site RISE | 1425 Arch Street | Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• District 1199C Training Fund | 100 S Broad St, 10th Floor | Wednesday 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Members Only)
• Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation | 1001 Vine Street | Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (March 15), Closed Feb 29 and March 1 | Additional languages available: Chinese
• Project HOME – Hub of Hope | 1400-30 Arch Street | Tuesday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Utility Emergency Services Fund | 1608 Walnut Street | Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

North Philadelphia

• Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood Action Center, Inc. | 2829  Diamond Street | Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children | 160 East Erie Avenue | Monday and Wednesday 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  
• HACE Business and Visitor Center | 2708 North 5th Street | Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Spanish
• CWF Headquarters | 1415 North Broad Street, Suite 223 | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Vietnamese, Spanish
• Vaux EnVision Center | 2300 Master Street | Monday 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Lenfest Center | 3890 N 10th Street | Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Project HOME – Main Office | 1515 Fairmount Ave | Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Project HOME – Honickman Center | 1936 Judson Street | Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Northeast Philadelphia

• Northeast Super Site | 7300 Bustleton Avenue  (formerly Payless Shoe Store) | Monday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.;  Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Albanian, Turkish, Russian, and Spanish.

Kensington

• NKCDC – Orinoka Civic House | 2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1 | Monday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 
• Congreso de Latinos Unidos | 216 W Somerset Street | Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Impact Services | 1952 East Allegheny Avenue | Tuesday and Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Drop-off Service Only)

South Philadelphia

• Dixon House | 1920 South 20th Street | Monday and Wednesday 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• United Communities | 2029 S 8th Street | Thursday 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Burmese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian

Southwest Philadelphia

• Ebenezer Church | 5649 Christian Street | Monday and Tuesday | 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

West Philadelphia

• ACHIEVEability | 59 North 60th Street | Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | By appointment only, please call 215-557-8484.
• CHOP Karabots | 4865 Market Street | Tuesday and Thursday 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. | Don’t want to wait? Schedule an appointment! 267-425-9800
• Mount Pisgah A.M.E. Church | 428 North 41st Street | Monday 2:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Chinese
• ParkWest Town Center, Mercy Healthcare Building (in front of Lowes) | 1575 North 52nd Street | Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Germantown

• CareerLink Northwest | 5847 Germantown Avenue | Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 
• Indochinese-American Council | 4936 Old York Road | Tuesday 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | Additional languages available: Vietnamese and Spanish
• Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network | 7047 Germantown Avenue | Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Thursday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Note: No appointment necessary at most of the above sites. Customers are seen on a first-come, first-served basis. All returns are completed by IRS certified preparers

As you may have noticed, tax forms are hard to come by. If you would like a form to be mailed to you, call 1-888-728-2937. All forms and instructions are also accessible online at revenue.pa.gov and may be printed at your local library for 25 cents per page.

The new 1040 form and instructions will be available in the Social Science and History Department at Parkway Central Library, as well as some other neighborhood libraries.

IRS forms and instructions can also be obtained by submitting an online order or by calling 1-800-829-3676.

Due to policy changes, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue has discontinued the practice of bulk orders for its publications. Individual taxpayers may still be able to obtain Pennsylvania state forms using one of the following methods:

• Viewing and printing forms online
   
• Ordering forms online
   
• Submitting a telephone request: 1-888-728-2937
   
• Submitting a written request:
  PA Department of Revenue
  Tax Forms Service Unit
  1854 Brookwood St
  Harrisburg, PA 17104-2244