Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

|| High Country Press Newswire

LATEST REGIONAL HEADLINES:

View All Ads For This Week »

MARCH 4, 2010 ISSUE

Free Tax Filing Assistance Available Now Through April 13

You May Be Eligible!

Story by Celeste Von Mangan

The American Association of Retired Persons is again offering its free income tax preparation program, called Tax-Aide, to local, low- to middle-income taxpayers from now until April 14.

Tax Assistance in Ashe

If you are not able to make it to one of the two senior centers in Watauga County for tax assistance, the Ashe County Public Library has already begun its 3rd annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Free electronic filing of simple tax forms to any taxpayer earning less than $49,000 for the 2009 fiscal year is available. Return preparation takes approximately one hour to complete from beginning to end. All volunteer preparers are IRS certified.

The program operates on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the auditorium on the lower level of the Ashe County Public Library. Appointments are suggested, though the staff will try and accommodate walk-ins.

To schedule an appointment, call 336-877-0100.

In cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service and the North Carolina Department of Revenue, the American Association of Retired Persons is again offering its free income tax preparation program, called Tax-Aide. Who is eligible for Tax-Aide? A number of people, as the program serves a wide range of constituents. Though the sessions are held at the local Project for Aging in Watauga County, it is not just for seniors: any person, any age, is eligible if they are low- to middle-income taxpayers.

“This program has been offered for over 12 years at the Project on Aging and continues to be a beneficial service for many people in our community,” said Tabitha Thomas, director of the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center.

Besides serving any senior citizen or person earning a low- to middle-income wage, further eligibility requirements include: not having a rental, partnership or business requiring schedule C, or royalties and sale of a home or business. Other factors that may render a person to be ineligible for the program would be those who are filing a moderately complicated income tax return. Additionally, those who wish to use the service must file both federal and North Carolina returns to qualify, with no out-of-state returns accepted.

Thomas said people interested in using the service should bring the following documents with them:

Social Security cards and identification for taxpayer and all dependents
Last year’s tax return
W-2 forms from each employer
1099 forms for Social Security, pension, interest and dividends and/or broker/mutual fund income
A detailed list of expenses for medical, charities, taxes and interest, if you are claiming deductions
A blank check for direct deposit of any refund to your checking or savings account

The Tax-Aide Program runs now through April 13. Electronic filing—known as E-File—is available to facilitate safe and accurate preparation and fast refunds.

Interested taxpayers can call 828-265-8090 to make an appointment with certified tax counselors who will be at the Lois E. Harrill Center in Boone on Tuesdays. Or, to make an appointment with a tax counselor at the Western Watauga Community Center, located in Cove Creek and holding hours on Mondays, call 828-297-5195.