Volunteers In Action of Central Kansas, the sponsor of the AARP TaxAide Foundation, is now scheduling tax appointments. Eight trained counselors will help those in our communities who find it very difficult to pay the fee to make this annual filing, said Linn Hogg, director of Volunteers In Action. Tax preparation is free to anyone who needs it, with priority given to those over the age of 50 or on low-to-middle income.
“The goal of this program is primarily to help seniors in the community who are applying for and/or want to apply for the Kansas Homestead Refund,” Hogg said. “Our services are also available to low- and moderate-income families,” Hogg said.
Appointments can be made by calling the Volunteers In Action office at 620-792-1614 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm We do not accept walk-in appointments.
Last year the program helped 280 people from a four-county area, he said. The savings amounted to over $61,000.
“Our advisers go through tax courses every year and ours is required to pass multiple tests before they can sit down and prepare a person’s tax return,” Hogg said.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained to assist a taxpayer with filing many income tax forms and programs.
However, he noted, the Volunteer Protection Act requires volunteers to stay within the tax law set by the IRS for the program. In certain situations, volunteers may not be able to provide assistance.
Examples include rent income, moving expenses, some investment income, royalty income, farm or agricultural cooperative income or expenses, and complicated capital gains/losses such as futures or options.
What to bring
These items are required if applicable to your situation.
• Income tax return for the previous year.
• All correspondence received from the IRS and state/local taxing authority.
• social security cards and/or ITIN notices/cards or other official documentation showing tax identification numbers for each individual upon your return.
• Government-issued photo ID for each taxpayer.
• Checking or savings account information if you wish to deposit any repayments directly or debit any amounts owed directly.
• Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) (for each individual if applicable).
Income Amount
• W-2 for each employer.
• Form 1099-G for Unemployment Insurance or State/Local Income Tax Refund.
• Form SSA-1099 showing the total number of Socials
• Security allowance paid to you for the year or form RRB-1099, Tier 1 Railroad Retirement.
• 1099 Forms (or other filings) showing interest (1099-INT), dividends (1099-DIV), and/or sales proceeds (1099-B), plus documentation showing original purchase prices if you sold stock or other goods.
• Form 1099-R if you received a pension, annuity or IRA distribution.
• 1099-MISC, 1099-K, or other 1099 forms. If you have a business, bring a summary list of all your income (cash and non-cash) and expenses related to the business.
• Information about any other income of any form, including cash.
• IRS Letter 6475 detailing the Economic Impact (Stimulus) payment amounts received.
• IRS letter 6419 detailing any advance child tax credits received.
Payments
• Records of any federal and/or state and/or local income taxes paid (including estimated quarterly tax payments) if not shown on income records.
Deductions
• Most taxpayers have the choice of taking a standard deduction or listing their own deductions.
• If you have a large amount of deductions, you may want to itemize them. If so, bring the following information:
• Form 1098 home loan interest.
• A summary list of medical/dental/vision bills, including medical and hospital bills and medical insurance premiums, drug prescriptions, assisted living services, long-term insurance, and medical improvement bills to the house such as ramps and railings for people with disabilities.
• Summary of cash and non-charitable contributions.
• Property tax slips paid during the year (reported frequently on the mortgage statement).
Health insurance
• Forms 1095-A if the insurance was purchased through the Marketplace (Exchange).
Credits/Adjustments
• Information about dependent care provider – name, address, telephone number and employer ID or Social Security number and amount paid to provider.
• Form 1098-T for tuition fees plus statement from educational institution showing tuition fees actually paid and grants, fellowships, etc. perceive. Also bring a summary of any other educational expenses.
Form 1098-E for student loan interest.
