VIRGINIA BEACH, VA--(Marketwired - Aug 18, 2016) - Liberty Tax, Inc. (
Liberty Tax Service, a leading tax preparation franchise, announced today that it will offer free renewal assistance to taxpayers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) in an effort to help them meet new requirements signed into law under the PATH Act. The law requires taxpayers who have not used an ITIN on a tax return in the last three years to renew their ITIN before filing a 2016 tax return. Additionally, those whose ITINs were issued before 2013 and whose middle digits are 78 or 79 will be required to renew their ITINs before filing a 2016 tax return.
The free renewals are an extension of the free ITIN services already offered at participating Liberty Tax Service offices. ITINs help individuals who are ineligible for a Social Security number meet their tax obligations, as required by law. In 2010, more than 3 million people paid over $870 million in income taxes using an ITIN, according to the IRS.
"The new law affects a big segment of the taxpayers," said Liberty Tax CEO John T. Hewitt. "We anticipate that many ITIN holders will be confused by these changes and unsure of how they need to proceed. At Liberty Tax Service we are ready with the necessary tools to answer these taxpayers' questions, get their renewal applications submitted, and help them meet their tax obligations."
At many Liberty Tax Service offices across the United States, taxpayers will find Certified Acceptance Agents who make the ITIN process less complex for taxpayers. Such agents can certify that documents required to apply for an ITIN, such as passports or birth certificates, are authentic. This means ITIN applicants who visit a Liberty Tax Certified Acceptance Agent do not need to submit their supporting documents to the IRS, where the documents may be held for several weeks. Instead, they can apply for an ITIN or an ITIN renewal at a participating Liberty Tax Service office and take their important documents with them when they leave.
The IRS has said that it will begin this month to mail Letter 5821 to taxpayers with expiring ITINs. The IRS will renew ITINs issued before 2013 on a rolling basis, starting with those whose middle digits are 78 or 79. That process opens on Oct. 1.
Liberty Tax Service offices are open year round, and taxpayers looking to get started on their ITIN renewals can call at 866-871-1040 or visit www.LibertyTax.com .
About Liberty Tax, Inc.
Founded in 1997 by CEO John T. Hewitt, Liberty Tax, Inc. (
MEDIA CONTACT: Martha O'Gorman Chief Marketing Officer Liberty Tax Service (888) 848-5344 martha@libtax.com
