AARP offering tax help this year

By Staff
Kim West
The deadline to file federal and state income taxes is a month away, but there is still plenty of time to take advantage of free tax help.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Tax-Aide Program, which was founded in the U.S. in 1968, is in its fifth year in Franklin County. The program assists people of all ages and backgrounds with filing their income taxes at no charge and is available at six sites in the Shoals area this year.
The Franklin County site is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Thursday until April 9, which is six days prior to the filing deadline of April 15, and is staffed by three certified tax preparers, including Guyton, Jane Moore and Pat Parker.
There are also sites at the Florence-Lauderdale Library (Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Helen Keller Library (Tuesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Regency Mall (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Fayette Civic Center (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Hopewell Church in Leighton (Tuesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
"We've had 60 people who have used the Franklin County site so far this year in the first (five) weeks," said Ben Guyton, a retired forester and district coordinator the six tax aide sites in the Shoals area. "Last year we did 237 total returns in Franklin County, including 81 tax returns, and the remainder were stimulus returns."
Guyton, who has volunteered with AARP since 2003, said the program, which started this year on Feb. 1, typically attracts senior citizens, but it's available to anyone.
"Most of the people we help are 60 years or older, but we'll help file tax returns for people of all ages," he said. "We've done some returns for high school and college students, and people in their 30s, 40s or 50s, and you don't have to be member of AARP to get free tax help."
People seeking tax filing assistance should bring their Social Security card, tax forms and any pertinent tax paperwork, including unemployment compensation records.
"It's not necessary, but it would be helpful if people would bring last year's tax form," Guyton said. "And if they're planning to itemize deductions, they would need to bring any relation information, including medical expenses and charitable contributions."
For more information, contact Guyton at 332-0252 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.