AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Site and VITA-IRS is entirely staffed with volunteers, trained and test-certified by the IRS. Please note that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE for the accuracy of your return. Our job is to assist you to prepare and file, for FREE, your federal and/or state return – we do NOT provide legal or financial advice. Our Tax-Aide training and certification DOES NOT ALLOW US TO PREPARE CERTAIN RETURNS.
Besides all your tax forms, you must complete Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet. You will need to bring all forms applicable to you and referenced on page 1, 2, and 3 of the Intake Form. The grey areas will be completed through your interview with our Volunteer Preparer. If you have any questions about any of the items in Part III, IV, or V, mark as UNSURE, the Volunteer Preparer will discuss these with you.
Be prepared when you come and arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment. Normally we only have time to prepare one years' tax return at a designated time.
You will be interviewed by a Volunteer Preparer, who will then enter your information in your tax return. A second Volunteer will conduct a Quality Review to ensure that the return is as accurate as possible. The tax return MUST be reviewed with both the taxpayer and spouse before obtaining both of their signatures. Only then, will the return be eFiled with the IRS. On confirmation of its acceptance, it will then be eFiled with Oregon. Paper returns are the exception and are only required with special circumstances.
Limitations (We cannot do your return in the following cases)
Tax-aide is a volunteer organization and the Volunteer Protection Act requires that volunteers stay within the scope of the program. Therefore, there are certain tax returns that we cannot and are not trained to do. Below is a list of the most common items we can’t do, but does not include ALL returns that we cannot do:
If you check ANY of the following items, we will not be able to do your return.
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Self-Employment (Schedule C) – your business expenses exceed $35,000 or you have a loss or you have employees or you have inventory or depreciable items or expenses for the use of your home |
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Rental Income – unless you are in the active military or the rental income is reported on a 1099-MISC and does not involve depreciation or expense (land rental) - We can only prepare military returns if we have someone with a special certification. |
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Farm Income Schedule F |
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Moving Expenses – Form 3093 – unless you are in the active military and the move involves a permanent transfer - We can only prepare military returns if we have someone with a special certification. |
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Schedule K-1 (Partnerships) – if it is for anything other than interest, dividends, royalties and regular short or long term capital gains or losses |
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1098-MA – Mortgage Assistance Payment |
Some other common areas where we cannot do your taxes include: Property sales other than your primary residence, Virtual currency transactions, and taxable ROTH IRA distributions. If you in the active military, have international issues or have questions about whether we can do your taxes or not, please call the Tax-aide/VITA site prior to your appointment as this requires special certifications.
We understand that tax time is very stressful. We attempt to make it as painless as possible. You can expect our volunteers to treat you in a courteous and professional manner. In return, our volunteers expect you to treat them with courtesy, as well. Anyone who becomes disruptive will be asked to leave without having their return prepared. Failure to comply when requested to leave the site may result in the authorities being contacted.
Feel free to let us know if you have comments, questions or concerns about your return or your experience at this site. If you need to contact us after this site has closed at the end of the tax season, you should contact AARP at 1-888-687-2277 or 1-800-424-2277 (toll free) or send an email to:Taxaide@aarp.org. Please do not try to contact any Volunteer Preparers at their homes or outside of this site.
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