Taxes

How To Make Life Less Taxing

Posted: 11/12/2010

You can help others-and yourself-to a better understanding of the U.S. tax system.

(NAPSI) - Did you know that you can learn a useful skill that will help yourself and help others at the same time?

Here’s how: Volunteer to help older Americans and others figure out their taxes.

You don’t have to be a tax professional to get involved. Volunteers receive free tax training and are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses.

In addition, the program needs coordinators, greeters and many other roles filled to serve all its clients each tax season. The service is particularly in need of volunteers who are bilingual in English and Spanish to support the increasing number of Spanish-speaking taxpayers seeking assistance.

AARP Tax-Aide, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service served more than 2.6 million taxpayers and saved its clients more than $115 million in tax preparation fees last year alone. Taxpayers who file a federal tax return with a refund due to them can also get help investing the money in America’s future. They can purchase savings bonds in multiples of $50, up to $5,000, using all or a portion of their refund.

Some 7,000 volunteers are needed each year to dedicate their time during tax season and sometimes throughout the year to help low- to moderate-income taxpayers prepare their taxes.

AARP Tax-Aide is a program of the AARP Foundation, offered in conjunction with the IRS. Though the program gives special attention to people over age 60, volunteers and clients do not have to be AARP members or even retired.

For more information on how you can join the AARP Tax-Aide team, visit www.aarp.org/ta volunteer8 (English only) or call their toll-free number, 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). For information about the more than 6,500 sites open across the country, visit www.aarp.org/TaxAide. The site also offers free, year-round assistance to taxpayers, who can pose questions to online volunteers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.