Internal Revenue Service offices across the nation were open Saturday to help people file for and receive their economic stimulus payments.

Services were free for seniors and no appointments were required.

"We really wanted to get the message out, especially to people who didn't have a filing requirement," said David Stewart, an IRS spokesman.

Under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, people may be eligible for payments in the range of $300 to $600 for individuals and $600 to $1,200 for joint filers.

Starting in May, the Treasury will send the payments to more than 130 million taxpayers. The payments will go out through the late spring and summer.

In addition to its "Super Saturday" campaign, the IRS will keep many offices open on Saturday, April 12 and for extended hours during the week for the remainder of the filing season, which runs through April 15.

Employees at the IRS office in Butler said it had a small turnout, but the opposite was true for the office in the basement of 220 S. Main St.

The first Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, office in Butler County officially opened there Feb. 1.

A joint effort by Tom Franz, manager of the county's Community Resource Center, and the United Way, VITA assists working families in their tax preparation in addition to providing information about the economic stimulus payments.

"We usually see about 10 people every Saturday," said Wendy Jaudy, an AmeriCorps Vista service member who acts as administrator and co-coordinator at the site.

"The service was specifically opened for (families with an income of $40,000 or less per year) to file for earned income credit. We hope to have two or three sites by next year," Jaudy said.

The VITA office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through April 5. Jaudy also assists people in their tax preparation at the Butler United Way during the week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by appointment.

"I hope the VITA program will turn into a program that teaches people how to do their own taxes online," Jaudy said.

In assisting peoples' tax preparation for the stimulus payment, Jaudy said the office has encountered numerous challenges — people who haven't filed a tax return in years, people who avoided filing during a divorce or separation and mentally disabled individuals whose case workers have neglected their taxes.

"It's very interesting how many different scenarios you encounter as far as dependents and living situations," said Amanda Feltenberger, a volunteer from East Butler.

The Butler VITAoffice was set up in November, but it took until February to gather and train what Jaudy called her "seven outrageously wonderful volunteers." Jaudy herself lives in Wilmerding and stays with her daughter in Butler during the week to perform her United Way duties.

Volunteers at the office undergo about 50 hours of education before being certified by the IRS in basic tax preparation. Learning advanced and military tax preparation can swell that number to 250 hours.

"We're not preparers, though, we're assistants," Jaudy said.

The VITA office, unlike IRS preparers, assist with both federal and state returns.

For information, contact the Butler United Way at 724-285-2260.

The American Association of Retired Persons has five sites in Butler County to assist members with tax and stimulus package preparation, including Trinity Lutheran Church, Tanglewood Senior Center and Zelienople Area Public Library.

Visit www.aarp.org online for details.

To qualify for the stimulus payment, people must have at least $3,000 of income in any combination from Social Security, disability or survivors' benefits, disability compensation, disability or survivors' benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Tier 1 benefits from Railroad Retirement, certain combat pay and earned income from wages, salaries, tips or net earnings from self employment.

An additional payment of $300 is available to people with children age 17 or younger as of Dec. 31, 2007, but they must file an income tax return to be eligible.

"If you are eligible for a payment, all you have to do is file a 2007 tax return and the IRS will do the rest," said Acting IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff on the agency's Web site.

People who filed with direct deposit will receive their payments in direct deposit form, as well.

According to Stewart, about 125 people passed through the IRS' Philadelphia office in its first 45 minutes of operation Saturday, 117 of whom just to file for the stimulus payment.

Stewart said regional numbers for areas like Butler County will not be available until next week.

According to the IRS, about 1 million people in Pennsylvania who qualify for an economic stimulus payment may not normally be required to fill out a tax return.

Recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement and veterans' benefits should report their 2007 benefits on Line 14a of Form 1040A or Line 20a of Form 1040.

People who have filed but did not report those benefits can file an amended return by using a Form 1040X.

U.S. Rep Jason Altmire visited residents at Sherwood Oaks Retirement Community last week to educate seniors on the tax rebate. A member of his staff will be available at Cranberry Township Municipal Center every other Tuesday to assist seniors with their forms.