AARP Tax-Aide volunteer preparers sought
In the News
The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program, which annually provides free tax preparation assistance for mostly older citizens, as well as those with disabilities, from the beginning of February through April 15 at the Nodaway County Senior Center, is in need of volunteers.
Longtime preparers Helen Gorsuch, Lee T. Schneider, and Nina Schneider have all died in recent years, leaving Karla Rusco as the only returning volunteer in Maryville for the approaching tax season.
And one person is not enough.
AARP Foundation rules state that returns cannot be prepared by a single individual. Rather, each return is assembled by one volunteer and reviewed by another.
Local volunteers have been preparing federal and state tax returns at the Nodaway County Senior Center for more than 20 years, and Rusco would very much like that tradition to continue.
“We find every year that we are more than repaid for our time and effort when our clients express their appreciation,” she said.
Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free tax preparation and assistance service, and participants do not have to be AARP members either to volunteer as preparers or to receive assistance.
No specific experience is required to qualify as a preparer, and volunteers come from various backgrounds, though individuals who step forward are generally comfortable working with both people and numbers. Familiarity with tax forms and computers is also helpful.
All returns are completed using an IRS-supplied tax program, and the vast majority of returns are electronically filed with the IRS and the Missouri Department of Revenue. Volunteers receive free training in December and January.
While AARP benefits are usually thought of as only for seniors, there are no age or income requirements to receive tax help. However, certain returns are beyond the program’s scope, such as those including income from farm operations and rental properties.
In 2016, local AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers prepared more than 100 returns, many of them involving the Missouri Property Tax Credit available to residents with low incomes or disabilities.
According to AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, all returns include required reporting for health insurance with preparers often finding exceptions to penalties that might otherwise have been imposed.
The service further stated that 2016 tax refunds in the Maryville area totaled over $150,000, and that Northwest Missouri District refunds returned more than $2 million to local economies.
Individuals seeking assistance must provide a photo identification, last year’s (2016) tax return, and verification of all income, including Social Security benefits, wages, interest, dividends, pensions, annuities, child support, SSI, and unemployment benefits.
For deductions and credits, participants should be prepared to document the amount of payments and present any supporting documents.
All taxpayers should bring the amount of medical insurance paid, including Medicare supplements, long-term care, and any tax forms or exemption certificates received from the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Preparers also handle property tax credits and rent refunds, which are available to seniors and 100-percent disabled individuals who meet income guidelines, own their own home, or live at a property whose owner pays real estate tax.
Individuals bringing in their returns must provide a 2016 paid tax receipt or proof of rent paid that includes the landlord’s phone number and address and the last four digits of their Social Security number or FEIN. With proper supporting documents, assistance can also be given to those who have failed to apply for the past three years.
A simple Schedule C (with expenses under $25,000 and no depreciation) can be completed for taxpayers with self-employment income. Preparers can also assist with cancellation of credit card debt.
Anyone wishing to volunteer as a preparer should call Rusco at 660-582-7567.
