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:
Free Seminar
When: Friday, February 6, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. to noon
Where: MountainView Ballroom East
Speaker: Charlie Cremin
Topic: Preparation for completing 2014 Tax Return
Charlie is an experienced income tax return preparer who 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 efile 2014 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 9, 2015, and ending April 13, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in The Paloma Room at the DesertView Sports and Theater Center.
Appointments are required. Appointments can be made starting on January 26, 2015, 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 2014 tax documents. Remember to bring your out-of-pocket medical expenses, including your medical mileage.