AARP Foundation Tax-Aide opens for clients Feb. 5
Jan. 24—PLATTSBURGH — The sprint to Monday, April 15, Tax Day, is on, and local agencies are set to help North Country residents sort out whether they owe Uncle Sam or Uncle Sam owes them.
"At this time it is getting the word out to the public to let them know that our services are going to be available again this year, and they need to call in to make an appointment in order to use our services," Carrie Johnson, district coordinator for Clinton and Essex Counties, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide.
"We are open to everybody in the area. We welcome everybody. There are only a few exceptions, and when you make the phone call we let you know what our exceptions are. But it's not based on income or anything like that. It's based on the type of income because some things we are not certified to do."
ALL WELCOME
One need not be an AARP member or be over the age of 50 to use the services.
"We welcome in families, singles, children doing their first tax return, everything like that," she said.
"They are welcome to come into our site."
SITES IN ALL COUNTIES
In Clinton County, a Tax-Aide site is located at the Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine St., Plattsburgh.
Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays noon to 6 p.m. To make an appointment, call 518-314-9762.
In Essex County, the Tax-Aide site is located at the Lake Placid Public Library, 2471 Main St. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To make an appointment, phone 518-523-3200.
In Franklin County, the Tax-Aide site is located at the Tupper Lake Public Library, 41 Lake St. For an appointment, call 518-359-5012. Appointments are scheduled for Sunday afternoons.
"For all three of our services, you do have to call in in order to make an appointment," Johnson said.
"We are not allowed to accept walk-ins."
VOLUNTEER EFFORT
The Tax-Aide volunteers are in their last week of training.
"We're finishing up and getting everything, making sure that we have any updates that we get from the IRS or anything like that, and making sure we are ready to help the community with all of up-to-date tax law and changes," Johnson said.
"So, we're finishing up this week with training, and then next week we are actually physically setting up the site at the Plattsburgh Senior Center so we can start accepting clients. February 5 is the first day we are in business, so to say."
The are 45 Tax Aide volunteers in total in her district.
"Unfortunately, out of that 45, there's about 15 of us that actually do the tax prep," she said.
"The other group of us help the clients fill out the initial paperwork and get their tax documents in order in order to go to the tax preparer and get their taxes done much quicker."
BRING DOCUMENTS
When clients call to make an appointment, they will hear a list of documents to bring.
"We recommend that everybody make sure that they received all their tax documentation before they come in to see us," Johnson said.
"I know some seniors, unfortunately the report for their pensions doesn't get mailed until the middle of February. There was some kind of change where pensions got out of the January 31 deadline. Some of them have to wait a little longer, which really doesn't help seniors at this time of year."
Documents to bring to an appointment include tax documentation, a driver's license or photo ID, social security card, and prior year tax return.
"So that we know what they had last year and see that we make sure that we get the credit they deserve from last year to this year," she said.
Tax season is an anxious time for many people, but there is good news to help clients pinching pennies.
"The standard deduction has increased to meet inflation somewhat or what the federal government decided was going to meet inflation this year," Johnson said.
"So that's increased and some other credits have increased based on inflation. So they can hopefully see that to help them out."
Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
Twitter@RobinCaudell
