IRS announces Saturday office hours in Garden City, Hauppauge

Internal Revenue Service offices in Garden City and Hauppauge will offer free tax return assistance Saturday "for taxpayers dealing with difficult economic times."

The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers at 107 Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Garden City and 1180 Veterans Memorial Hwy. in Hauppauge will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. IRS employees in these locations will answer questions on the full range of tax law provisions, such as the new allowance for $2,400 of tax-free unemployment compensation benefits. Also, for individuals who earn $49,000 or less, free tax preparation and electronic filing will be available.

Most tax forms are available in the offices, although taxpayers who only need the forms can save themselves the trip by downloading the forms at irs.gov. "There are many tax credits and deductions that may help individuals struggling in tough economic times to save money on their taxes this year," Dianne Besunder, IRS spokeswoman for New York, said.