[Villages PL]

Someone said AARP tax service is only for those who REALLY need it, meaning low income people.

Today I asked a tax preparer in Walmart (Jackson Hewitt) about getting my taxes done. And at the end of our conversation, I happened to mention that I used to have it done by AARP but that I just found out that my income is too high for that.

And she said, "No, that's wrong! Income has nothing to do with it. It's a service for retired people and you should have them do it!"

[baustgen]

AARP will do Federal taxes for anyone who meets the criteria that the IRS limits them to. You do not have to be a senior or low income. Each of the AARP sites has a poster that lists types of taxes they cannot do. The big exceptions are rental properties and certain K 1's. The best bargain in TV.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by baustgen

AARP will do Federal taxes for anyone who meets the criteria that the IRS limits them to. You do not have to be a senior or low income. Each of the AARP sites has a poster that lists types of taxes they cannot do. The big exceptions are rental properties and certain K 1's. The best bargain in TV.

Thanks, I do meet the criteria.

[GMIJFI]

Highly suggest you make an appointment to get taxes done by AARP. Appointments get priority over walk-ins. Depending on how busy they are and how many counselors are available for a particular day, they may not take walk-ins for that day. If they take you as a walk-in, be prepared to wait.

[PaPaLarry]

Like all these volunteers, who give their time for us. AARP Volunteers, Thank you so much for your service !!!!!!!!!!!

[Bizdoc]

Part of the confusion is that VITA (which is what many folks are used to seeing "back home") is limited to low income returns. AARP's program is under a separate program (Tax Counseling for the Elderly) which, oddly enough, is not income or age limited. It does, however, have specific restrictions based on what is within the scope of practice.

Most volunteers in both VITA and TCE are not tax accountants. They are usually folks just like you who have an interest in taxes. They have to pass certification exams each year. Those exams, along with the program guidelines, set what types of tax issues they are qualified to deal with. The scope of practice covers most common returns.

In some cases, specific waivers have been given by the IRS to cover issues which would be otherwise out of scope. In Alaska, the university/Alaska Business Development Center's program covered fishing returns (schedule F) as well as more complex schedule C small businesses. Of course, the teams traveling to remote villages usually have a faculty member from the university with a background in tax who had been given specific training on the subject. We also had a CPA and an IRS specialist on call 24/7 to answer our questions.