The “free” tax assistance, at least through VITA, is run by volunteers who have to take a test and be approved by the IRS. My husband runs the program for a university. He spends hours annually in training and testing, as do the students he employs. My husband is a CPA and has an LL.M. in tax. If there is an error, a return may be corrected and refilled.
To my knowledge, there is no similar program for investments. Once you lose the money, it is gone.
Please see a professional who does not sell a product and you can pay by the hour. A good financial planner will look at your entire financial situation.
If you refuse to pay, please talk to many individuals and closely compare all suggestions before entrusting your money.
If you are talking about funds that you do not need to rely upon and are looking to have some fun with, there are plenty of firms - Edward Jones, Charles Schwab, etc. who can give some helpful advice and can help you decide what type of fund might be good for you.
If you rely on these funds, please seek independent, professional advice.
Melanie
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