Volunteers ready for tax season
Published 12:15 am Sunday, January 22, 2012
How soon does the year fade away and another year is upon us. Yes, it is tax time again! As in previous years, the AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are preparing to assist the public with their tax questions and tax preparation. We train very hard to be able to adequately serve you with no cost to you. The program services taxpayers with low and middle incomes, with special attention to those 60 years old or older. All services are absolutely free.
The tax-aide site will be located at the George W. Armstrong Library. The location is 220 S. Commerce St. in downtown Natchez. The site will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Wednesday beginning Feb. 1. Assistance will take place through Wednesday, April 11. We will assist you on a first-come, first-serve basis. 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. Our site fielded more than 200 taxpayers last year, and we are in hopes that we will increase that number this year. We will have available trained counselors to assist you.
This program was started in 1968 with only four volunteers and 100 clients. It has grown tremendously over the years, with more than 35,800 counselors nationwide servicing more than 2.5 million taxpayers in the 2010 tax year. Our 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, 1040A), as well as the standard state tax forms for both Mississippi and Louisiana.
Tax returns will be filed electronically, again, free. Should you seek our assistance, you should bring the following items: copy of last year’s return, Social Security card for yourself, spouse and all dependents, all documents defining your income (W-2s, 1099s — INT, DIV, MISC), Social Security benefits statement (SSA 1099), and all forms indicating federal income tax paid. If you plan to itemize, you will need to bring supporting evidence for those deductions you plan to claim. This needs to be in reasonable order and legible.
You need to show evidence of any real estate taxes paid. 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.
Jacqulyn B. Williams is the local coordinator of AARP Tax-Aide.