File Your Taxes Workshops

hands holding a phone that is near a laptop and tablet and all are being used to prepare taxes

Spending a few hours learning to file taxes will set you up to file quickly and easily forever using free, IRS-trusted websites that saves your info between years. Join the 45% of Americans who did their own taxes last year by learning and filing your state and federal taxes! Certified volunteer tax preparers will help you through the process and make sure you feel comfortable & confident filing your return.

This free workshop is a place for your to learn about taxes and also prepare and file your own 2025 tax return with volunteer assistance, using IRS trusted websites. If you have a very complex tax return, or if you don’t feel at all comfortable using a computer, it is in your best interest to use a different service to file.

Upcoming Workshops

  • Thursday, March 19th, 2026, 6PM at Goodman Community Center: 149 Waubesa St, Madison
  • Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 5PM at UW Student Activity Center Hearing Room, 333 E Campus Mall, Madison, WI 53715 (this workshop targeted for UW-Madison students)
Register

This workshop is for you if:

  • You want to file your taxes
  • You have basic computer skills
  • You want to understand the basics of tax returns

It is not a place to:

  • Get tax advice
  • File a complex / higher income tax return

If you make less than $89,000 a year, you can file for free — otherwise the software can charge up to $25.

These workshops are run by volunteers who are not tax professionals. If any of the following apply to you, it is recommended that you get professional help with your taxes:

  • Married filing separately
  • People divorced in 2025
  • People who sold CRYPTO or BITCOIN or VIRTUAL CURRENCY
  • Two or more businesses or businesses with one of the following: inventory, expenses over $5000, employees, depreciation, shows a loss
  • People who immigrated to the USA in 2025
  • People with more than two W2G’s from gambling

How does it work?

For most people, it’s easy, accurate, and free to file using guided tax software! There are many benefits, such as:

  • No calculating
  • No complex, wordy forms
  • Simple questions
  • Faster refunds

We’ll go over all the basic info you need about how tax season works, key tax terms concepts you need to understand, and how to use question-based tax filing websites (not form-based).

You’ll leave the workshop with a handout you complete yourself, giving step-by-step instructions for how to file your return next year.

Below you will find a list of documents and files you may need for your tax return. Volunteers can provide some limited support in accessing these documents with you.

  • Income Statements, such as:
    • Wage statements—Form(s) W-2
    • Pension and Social Security Statements- Form(s)1099R and SSA-1099
    • 1099G: Unemployment
  • All 2025 Financial Statements, such as:
    • Interest and dividends statements—Form(s) 1099INT and 1099DIV
    • Mortgage interest statements—Form(s) 1098
    • Tuition payments statements—Form(s) 1098T
  • Copy of tax returns from 2024, if available
  • A record of any estimated tax payments made for the 2025 tax year (if any)
  • Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace statement—Form(s) 1095A – this is required if you had Marketplace Insurance at any time during 2025
  • Receipts from deductible expenses (receipts will be requested by the IRS if you are audited – otherwise, the amount is all that is required)
  • Bank account information (account and routing number) for direct deposit/payment of your refund/balance due
  • Amount of rent / property tax you paid. Additionally, If you are applying for the WI Homestead Credit, a completed 2025 Rent Certificate, signed by the Landlord/Management Company OR Copy of 2025 Property Tax bill. Access a copy of your property tax bill at Access Dane.

Times and Locations

Workshops are hosted in person across Dane County according to volunteer, taxpayer, and space availability. See upcoming workshops above for details.

Questions?

Questions about this workshop can be directed to our extension team:
608-224-3700 or extension@danecounty.gov

To ensure equal access to programs, please make requests for reasonable accommodations at least 10 days prior to the program. To request an accommodation, including language interpretation, contact: Casey Vetter, 608-590-5507.

Interested in Volunteering?

Tax Education Workshop Volunteers help run workshops, assist with computers, and help participants get the info they need to file. Volunteers certify in tax law with the IRS, a very valuable skill. Please complete the volunteer interest form or contact Casey Vetter if you are interested in volunteering.

Extension Tax Educational Workshops function as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site using a Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA) model. This program works similarly to traditional VITA preparation services, except that instead of volunteers preparing tax returns directly, participants learn to prepare returns themselves with volunteer support.