Free AARP Tax Preparation help Wednesdays, February - April 2018

Free tax assistance  from AARP tax aide volunteers

Offered at Carver Memorial Library
 on Wednesdays, February 7 through April 11
10:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
For an appointment, call 548-2303

 
AARP Tax Aide volunteers receive IRS-sponsored training and certification to e-file individual income tax returns for the elderly, low-to-moderate-income individuals and families, veterans, and taxpayers with disabilities.

Assistance is available for the Maine PTFC (Property Tax Fairness Credit). Maine requires the addition of SSI and SSDI income plus all other income to calculate your credit.

Also required is reporting of health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. You have to report this for all the people on your tax return for every month of the year in 2017. If everyone on your tax return had Medicare or MaineCare all year, no additional information would be needed. If you went through the health care marketplace to purchase insurance or were given an exemption number, you now need income information for all people on the tax return, including dependents who worked or have investments. It’s helpful if your dependents file before you file, so that you would have this information. (This does not apply if they do not need to file a tax return.) Marketplace customers should receive a Form 1095 by January 31 reporting their details. You must bring that form with you.

When you come for tax help, please bring a copy of last year’s tax return; official Social Security documents for all people on the return; photo ID; all tax documents such as W-2’s, 1099’s for interest, dividends, sale of stocks or property, Social Security statement; any correspondence received from the IRS in the previous year; checkbook for direct deposit of refund to bank account. If married, both persons should come. Please make separate appointments for more than one tax return.

This program does not prepare returns for rental properties or for significant businesses (expenses over $10,000, depreciation, home office, inventory or employees).

For any questions about whether you qualify for this program, please call the tax site coordinator Pat Snyder at 567-3137.