Story provided by Stillwater Public Library
The AARP Tax Aides will begin their free tax preparation help on Monday, Feb. 5, and will provide help through Tuesday, April 17. The service is available at the Stillwater Public Library on Mondays and Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Tuesdays, 1-4 p.m.
Last year at the library, Stillwater Foundation AARP-Tax-Aide volunteers assisted over 700 people. The program provides free income tax assistance and preparation to low and moderate income taxpayers, with special attention to those age 50 and older. However, volunteers will assist those of all age and incomes, subject to volunteers’ training certification.
The tax preparers are volunteers within the community who take 25-40 hours of training each year. But volunteers said the time spent training is well worth the benefit of helping community members.
“Taxes are complicated enough even for those of us who have been trained to understand taxes, let alone the average person” said Saundra Mace, AARP Tax Aide coordinator. “Not only do you have to know what paperwork you need and which forms to use, but you also need to know how to use a computer.”
Taxpayers should bring the following documents with them for AARP Tax Aide help:
- A copy of TY 2016 Federal and State income tax returns.
- Social Security Cards for the taxpayer, spouse, and dependents.
- Photo identification such as a driver’s license.
- All forms indicating federal income tax paid
- All 1099 forms of any kind (1099-MISC, INT, DIV, B, R)
- All wage and earning statements (Forms W-2, W-2G)
- Unemployment compensation statements
- Bank Routing Numbers and Account Numbers for Direct Deposit.
- Total amount paid for Day Care and Provider’s identifying number and statement.
- All receipts and canceled checks if itemizing deductions
- Forms related to health care insurance
For a more extensive list of documents to bring, visit http://library.stillwater.org/taxes.php.
The taxpayer must be present at the Tax-Aide site to receive assistance. If filing “Married Filing Jointly,” both spouses are required to sign the tax returns before filing.
The resident and non-resident Oklahoma packets have arrived and are available to be taken. For federal tax items, however, the library has been notified by the IRS that forms and instructions could arrive sometime in early February.
Forms and instruction books for 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ will be stocked as soon as they arrive.
Schedules and other popular forms, not provide to the library, will be available online and can be printed. Items are ten cents per page.
Because IRS no longer supplies the library with business forms, small businesses and those who use independent contractors should plan to contact the IRS now for employment related forms, including the W-2, 1099 MISC and 1096. Employers may contact the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 to order copies or visithttps://www.irs.gov/businesses/online-ordering-for-information-returns-and-employer-returns.
Tax forms, instructions and AARP preparation services are free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis. No appointment is needed.
For more information, about tax services at the library, visit http://library.stillwater.org, call (405) 372-3633 or e-mail at askalibrarian@stillwater.org.
The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 South Duck.