2019 Tax Preparation Program

New York, NY

March 3, 2020

For Individuals with Vision Impairment and Blindness

Lighthouse Guild continues to serve people who are visually impaired by providing assistance with filing their 2019 federal, state and city income tax returns through a partnership with the IRS and the Foodbank for New York City.

Tax agents will be available at Lighthouse Guild (located at 250 West 64th Street) on the following days:

  • Tuesday, March 3, 2020, from 9:30 AM to 4 PM
  • Wednesday, March 4, 2020, from 12:30 PM to 7 PM

An appointment is required to reserve time with a tax agent. Appointments are available on a first come, first serve basis.

To make an appointment, please contact Lighthouse Guild’s Reading Services Program at 646-874-8683, Monday through Friday between 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment and check in at the Lighthouse Guild Lobby Reception Desk.

Appointments are limited to 30 minutes. The tax agents will do their best to expedite your return as quickly as possible, but you may experience a brief waiting time.

Important personal documents that you need to bring with you include:

  1. Picture ID for you and your spouse (if filling jointly)
  2. Social Security card for you and everyone you are claiming on your return
  3. W-2 forms
  4. Certificate of legal blindness or letter from your eye care physician to attach to the federal form (If you are filing for the first time, you may obtain a certificate from the New York State Commission for the Blind.)
  5. A copy of your 2018 tax returns
  6. All 1099-SS forms you received
  7. All 1099-G forms for unemployment
  8. The 1095-A if you purchased health insurance through the market place.

To make the best use of your time with the tax agent, please add up your items prior to your appointment, before submitting your documents to the tax agents. It will also help if you arrange your documents in logical groupings.

Self-employed individuals should bring proof of:

  1. Gross purchases (dollar value) of items purchased for sale
  2. Gross sales (dollar value) of items SOLD
  3. Net income (#2 minus #1)Itemized business expenses with corresponding amounts

Electronic filing for all tax documents is available.

Please note: Anyone who has more than $56,000 in income or large Schedule D (stock market) and Schedule E (real estate) transactions is not eligible to use this program. Instead, you should contact an accountant to assist you with your tax return.

This service is provided for people with vision impairment only. Lighthouse Guild, its employees and volunteers, are not responsible for any misplaced or lost documents or personal papers.

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Lighthouse Guild is dedicated to providing exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals.