The AARP Foundation in conjunction with the IRS supports a free service to help taxpayers file their annual income tax returns. The program, called Tax-Aide, is mainly targeted at seniors and low and middle income families but does serve a wide range of taxpayers of any age. Clients do not have to be members of AARP or live in SaddleBrooke to take advantage of this program. A number of SaddleBrooke residents volunteer as counselors under this program.
Each year all counselors are given extensive training in both Federal and Arizona income tax rules. Training on the software which is used to prepare the returns is also provided and the counselors then have to pass IRS tests before they are allowed to prepare a return.
Counselors are able to provide tax assistance to the majority of taxpayers including those who live in SaddleBrooke but are trained to refer taxpayers who have complex tax issues to paid, professional preparers.
Services to be provided in SaddleBrooke this year are as follows:
A free seminar on Preparation for Completing your 2013 Tax Return will be on Friday, January 24, 2014, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the MountainView Ballroom East presented by Charlie Cremin. Charlie is a resident of Sun City Rancho Vistoso and has been an AARP certified tax counselor for many years. He will lead a seminar and discussion on how to organize your tax data for the upcoming income tax season.
Volunteers will be available after the seminar to make appointments for those taxpayers wishing to take advantage of the free tax return filing service.
Free Tax Advice and Tax Return Filing. As has been the case for a number of years, volunteers trained and certified under the Tax-Aide program will be available in SaddleBrooke to prepare and e-file 2013 Federal and/or Arizona tax returns, or to answer questions you may have about preparing your returns. This free assistance will be available every Monday starting February 3, 2014, and ending April 14, 2014 from 11:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in The Paloma Room at the DesertView Sports and Theater Center.
Appointments are strongly recommended to avoid long wait times. Appointments can be made starting on January 27, 2014, by contacting Hedy Gryszan by telephone at 818-3899.
To receive the free tax assistance, taxpayers should bring their Social Security Card, a picture ID, last year’s tax returns and all relevant 2013 tax documents. Remember to bring your out of pocket medical expenses, including your medical mileage. If you think that your taxes won’t be filed in time for the deadline, you can file for a tax extension, you can visit Dave Burton online to see how that can be done and how you can be helped by accountants like him.