The time has arrived. Tax Time! We, the AARP Tax-Aide volunteers, are ready to assist you, the taxpayer in preparing your 2018 tax return. We focus mainly on the elderly (people 60 or older) and those persons within the low-to-middle income bracket. Our services are free and we electronically file your return for you. We train very hard to be able to adequately serve you.

The Tax-Aide site this year is at Natchez George W. Armstrong Library, 220 S. Commerce St. Natchez. The site will be open each Wednesday beginning Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Assistance will take place through Wednesday April 10. We will assist you on a first come first served basis. During the month of February AARP Tax-Aid volunteers will be offering additional days, Mondays Feb. 11, 18, and 25 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

We are hoping to get you in and out as expediently as possible. Counselors will be available to possibly answer all of your tax related questions and prepare your return.

The Tax-Aide program began in 1968 with only four volunteers and 100 clients. It has grown tremendously over the years with over 35,800 counselors nationwide and servicing over 2.5 million taxpayers in the 2017 tax year. Mississippi has over 28 AARP sites that prepare taxes with over 132 volunteers.

In 2017 Mississippi volunteers prepare more than 6,210 Federal Returns with 3,393 state returns for total of $5,789,535 in federal refunds.

The Natchez site filed over 120 Federal Return with total of $90,000 in Federal Refunds.  Our local tax-aide volunteers are trained each year during January, using materials developed and provided by the IRS. The training prepares volunteers to handle the basic tax forms (1040), as well as the standard state tax forms for Mississippi.

Should you seek our assistance, you should bring the following items: picture identification, copy of last year’s return, Social Security card for yourself (spouse) and all dependents, all documents defining your income (W-2’s, 1099’s (INT, DIV, MISC), Social Security benefits statement (SSA 1099), all forms indicating federal income tax paid, and your 1065 (A, B, or C) provided you were issued one for proof of health insurance.

If you plan to itemize you will need to bring supporting evidence (cancelled checks or receipts) for those deductions you plan to claim.

This needs to be in reasonable order and legible. Hopefully, you’ve set up a file to store all these documents to make the tax return preparation session a breeze for you and the tax preparer.

Also, if you have a refund/balance due, and you want direct deposit/debit you will need your checkbook for banking information.

All returns are safe, confidential, accurate, fast, and above all, free.

We look forward to your visit. Let us help you with your tax worries.

John J. Kerwin III is a local coordinator for the AARP Tax-Aide.