We prepare personal and small-business tax returns, and we help families apply — at no charge — for Social Security retirement, SSI, Medicare (Part B savings), SNAP food benefits and energy assistance across Illinois, Missouri and Texas. One call, and someone handles the paperwork for the whole family.
Vietnamese- and English-speaking staff — by phone, or in person at our Chicago office
Medicare open enrollment Oct 15 – Dec 7: we review your file and apply for state-paid Part B
Free benefits help • Vietnamese & English • IL · MO · TX(636) 552-4229 • Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
What we handlePersonal tax return (1040)Nail salon – restaurant – 1099 taxesIRS letters & prior-year returnsSocial Security retirementSSIMedicare – Part B savingsExtra Help (Part D drugs)SNAP (food stamps)LIHEAP energy assistance
Services
One office for the whole family's paperwork
Three tax services with clear prices, quoted before we start. Three groups of benefits applications, completely free. We serve Illinois, Missouri and Texas — rules differ by state, so call us and we will check your exact situation.
Tax preparation
Quote before we start • IRS PTIN preparer
Free under $30,000
Personal tax return (1040)
W-2 wages, pensions, Social Security, children / EITC. Income under $30,000 a year: filed completely free. Other returns from $99, quoted up front; your refund goes straight to your own bank account. Federal and state returns (Illinois, Missouri — Texas has no personal income tax).
Schedule C for nail and hair technicians, restaurants and self-employed workers; LLC / S-corp returns; 1099s for your workers; sales tax and payroll for the shop. We organize your records to capture every deduction — including the new tip deduction of up to $25,000 (tax years 2025–2028).
Got a letter from the IRS or the state and don't understand it? We read it, explain it and respond on time; file past years you never filed, amend a return (1040-X), apply for or renew an ITIN if you have no SSN, and set up an IRS payment plan.
No fee, no strings attached • we don't sell insurance
Free
Medicare & Part B savings
Enroll in Medicare on time (avoid a lifetime penalty), apply for a Medicare Savings Program so the state pays your Part B premium ($202.90/month in 2026) plus Extra Help for drugs. Open enrollment Oct 15 – Dec 7: we review your file with you. We do not sell insurance.
Retirement claims (age 62 – 70), spousal and survivor benefits, SSI for people 65+ or disabled with low income. We set up my Social Security, request benefit letters and follow up until the money arrives.
SNAP (food stamps) with easier rules for people 60+, LIHEAP winter heating help and other local programs (rules differ by state). We check your state's rules, file the application and remind you about renewals.
Answer 6 questions (about 1 minute). Results are a rough guide — limits differ by state; we will go through the details with you by phone.
Your results will appear here once you've answered.
How it works
Three steps, and we stay with you until there is a result
Call or leave your number
Call (636) 552-4229 or fill out the form below. No documents needed at this step.
We call back and set it up
A Vietnamese-speaking staff member calls back within 1 business day, asks about your situation and tells you which documents you'll need. We work by phone with secure document sharing, or in person at our Chicago office (4422 N Ravenswood Ave); in Saint Louis and Dallas we meet by appointment.
We file and follow up
We complete and submit the application, track letters from the agency and keep the family updated until there is a decision.
About us
A Vietnamese community office — Chicago, Saint Louis, Dallas
An Tax & Benefits is the service office of Tam An Care LLC, headquartered at 4422 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago (Uptown – Argyle), serving Vietnamese families in Illinois, Missouri and Texas. Our team works with Social Security, Medicare, SNAP applications and tax returns every day — so we know each form and the places where families get stuck.
We prepare benefits applications for free because too many elders miss out on benefits simply because the paperwork is in English. Tax returns are prepared by an IRS PTIN holder — free for income under $30,000, with all other prices posted clearly and quoted before we start.
Our commitments
No fee for benefits applicationsSocial Security, SSI, Medicare, SNAP, LIHEAP: free for everyone, never tied to buying another service.
No insurance sales, no pressureWe are not an insurance agency and take no commissions; if you need to compare Medicare plans we refer you to your state's free SHIP counselors.
No SSN requested onlineOn the website we only ask for a name and phone number. Documents are exchanged in person or through a secure channel.
Honest about eligibilityNo empty promises. If you don't qualify, we say so and suggest other options.
“Bring us the hard cases. If something can't be done, we'll tell you honestly and point you to where it can.”
— The An Tax & Benefits office
Freeretirement, Medicare & benefits applications
Vietnameseadvice & paperwork
3 statesIllinois · Missouri · Texas
1 daycall back after your request
FAQ
Questions families ask us
Is the help really free? How can it be?
Yes. Benefits applications (Social Security, SSI, Medicare, SNAP, LIHEAP) are free for everyone, with no conditions. The office is funded by paid tax preparation. For Social Security claims, federal law only allows fees for SSA-approved representatives — we charge nothing.
I live in Missouri or Texas, not Chicago — can you still help?
Yes. Most cases (tax returns, Social Security, Medicare, SNAP) can be handled entirely by phone with secure document sharing; we also work in Saint Louis, MO and Dallas, TX and meet by appointment when signatures or originals are needed. Our walk-in office is in Chicago. Call (636) 552-4229 and we'll arrange whatever is easiest for you.
What should I do during Medicare open enrollment (Oct 15 – Dec 7)?
If you already have Medicare: check the Part B premium being deducted ($202.90/month in 2026) — with income under about $1,816/month (single, federal limit) the state may pay it for you through a Medicare Savings Program, and you'll get Extra Help for drugs. Turning 65: enroll within the 7 months around your birthday to avoid a penalty. To compare Advantage / Part D plans we refer you to your state's free counselors: Illinois SHIP 1-800-252-8966, Missouri CLAIM 1-800-390-3330, Texas HICAP 1-800-252-9240.
When is the best time to claim Social Security?
You can claim at 62, but benefits are permanently reduced by about 30% compared with full retirement age (67 for those born in 1960 or later); waiting until 70 adds about 24%. Apply 3–4 months before the month you want payments to start. We help you create a my Social Security account, file online, review spousal and survivor benefits and follow up until payment.
How much does tax preparation cost? Any hidden fees?
Income under $30,000 a year (W-2, pension, Social Security): completely free. Otherwise: basic 1040 (W-2) $99, with EITC or children $150, self-employed / 1099 (Schedule C) from $149, business returns (LLC, S-corp) from $500 — state return included (Illinois, Missouri; Texas has no personal income tax). You get a clear quote before we start and prices are posted at the office. The preparer signs the return with a PTIN; your refund goes directly to your own account.
What should I prepare?
ID, Medicare card if any, green card or citizenship papers, SSA/pension letters or pay stubs, bank statements (for asset-tested programs), rent, utility and medical bills (SNAP). For taxes: W-2s, 1099s, children's information, last year's return. When we call back we'll give you the exact list for your case and a safe way to send it.
Is my information kept private?
Yes. On the website we only collect your name, phone number, state and what you need, so we can call back; we never ask for an SSN or account numbers online. Documents handled for your case are protected under HIPAA and IRS tax-confidentiality rules (IRC §7216), used only for the application you requested and never sold to third parties.
Guides
Plain-language guides for each application
We rewrite the rules in plain language with 2026 figures. Some guides follow Illinois rules — Missouri and Texas limits differ, so call us to check your state.
$25,000new tip deduction for nail techs, stylists & servers (2025–2028)
Nail salon, restaurant & 1099 taxes • October 27, 2026
Nail and hair technicians, restaurants and gig workers file differently from W-2 employees — Schedule C, self-employment tax, quarterly payments, 1099s for your workers and the new tip deduction of up to $25,000. Which records to keep so you don't lose deductions.
Most IRS letters are manageable if you respond on time. How to handle the common notices, file past years (refunds can still be claimed within 3 years), amend a return with 1040-X, apply for or renew an ITIN, and how to spot IRS scams.
How much filing at 62, 67 or 70 changes your check; spousal and survivor benefits; SSI for low-income people 65+; the documents to bring and how we help for free.