Tax Day is Almost Here!

STATEWIDE – Are you still looking for tax help? Book an appointment with an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide counselor.  Now through April 16, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – the nation’s largest, volunteer-run, free tax preparation program – is currently helping taxpayers with basic federal and state income tax returns.

Available to middle- and low-income taxpayers, with special attention given to those 60 and older, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides face-to-face assistance at nearly 250 sites across Massachusetts.

“People are coming to us now because they know we can do a good job by them,” said Dave Christopherson of Longmeadow, the volunteer site coordinator for AARP Foundation Tax Aide at the Good Life Center in Springfield. “We’re well-trained; we can’t do everything for them, but we can do an awful lot.”

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are well-versed in federal and state tax rules, and focus on helping taxpayers identify all the tax credits and deductions for which they may qualify, including:

•           “Circuit Breaker” tax credit which is available for Massachusetts property owners and renters who are age 65 and older and meet certain criteria;
•           Energy Efficiency Credits which may be available to qualifying Bay State residential property owners; and,
•           Schedule HC, proof of health insurance coverage, which is required of all Massachusetts residents.

“Last year, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers helped more than 39,000 Massachusetts residents with tax returns and questions,” says Linda Fitzgerald, state president of AARP Massachusetts, which serves 800,000 members age 50 and older in the commonwealth. “Over and over, the exceptional quality of service provided by these dedicated volunteers earns the program high marks in customer satisfaction.”

What to Bring
If married, both spouses should be present during an income tax counseling session. Taxpayers must have available all information and documents that apply to their 2011 income taxes, including:

•           Proof of identity (picture or other documentation).
•           All income statements that apply to the taxpayers.
•           Social Security number (Social Security card or Benefit Statement-Form SSA-1099) for taxpayer and all dependents.
•           Copy of last year’s federal and state tax returns.
•           Personal check if direct depositing tax refund, with bank checking account and routing numbers.

Make an appointment with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide today.  To find an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site in your community, or a neighboring community, call 1-888-AARP-NOW (1-888-227-7669) or go online to www.aarp.org/ma.  AARP Foundation Tax-Aide also provides services to individuals who are unable to leave their homes.  Contact a local site for details.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is administered by the AARP Foundation in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service.  The AARP Foundation is an affiliated, 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, charitable organization established in 1961.  To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

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