Serving Bullitt, Henry, Jefferson, Oldham, Shelby, and Spencer counties in Kentucky
and Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington counties in Southern Indiana.
Also serving as the home site of the Kentucky AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program with almost 90 sites throughout Kentucky.

Recent Changes

Recent Changes have been made to the following tabs: Newsletters, Sites, Calendar, Active Volunteers, LC’s & ERO’s, and So Indiana News.

Over 35,000 Volunteers Ready to Help

AARP Foundation volunteers will soon begin providing free tax preparation service at some 6,100 sites across the United States. More that 2.5 million were assisted by 35,800 volunteers last season and the number of volunteers is expected to exceed 36,000 for the season beginning February 1, 2012.

Tax-Aide, co-sponsored by the IRS and the AARP Foundation, will be starting its’ 44th tax season this year and is a major supplier of the IRS Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program. The service is designed primarily for seniors and other individuals with low to medium income.

With almost 100 sites in KY and southern Indiana, almost 500 volunteers prepare both federal and state returns in their respective states.

The services are featured at over 30 sites in the Greater Louisville and southern Indiana area by 200 trained and certified persons.

A detailed listing of the site locations and hours is available at www.aarp-tax-aide-lou.org and interested parties can also link with another site that can locate nearby sites across the country by simply entering the individual zip code in the link at the bottom of the Sites section.

Local sites begin opening February 1 and will continue service through April 14. Additional details are available on the web site or by calling 502-394-3443.

Edited from the IRS NewswireTips   Issue Number:    IRS TAX TIP 2012-04

Four Ways to Get IRS Forms and Publications 

NOTE: AARP Foundation Tax-Aide sites do not have forms available except for those used on our computers to prepare returns at the site.

The Internal Revenue Service has free tax forms and publications on a wide variety of topics. Because of continued growth in electronic filing, the availability of free options to taxpayers and to reduce costs, the IRS discontinued the automatic mailing of paper tax packages last tax season.

If you need IRS forms and publications, here are four easy methods for getting them.

1. On the Internet You can access forms and publications on the IRS website 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at www.irs.gov.

2. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers There are 401 TACs across the country where IRS offers face-to-face assistance to taxpayers, and where taxpayers can pick up many IRS forms and publications. Visit www.irs.gov and go to Contact My Local Office on the Individuals page to find a list of TAC locations by state. On the Contact My Local Office page, you can also select Office Locator and enter your zip code to find the IRS walk-in office nearest you as well as a list of the services available at specific offices.

3. At convenient locations in your community During the tax filing season, many libraries and post offices offer free tax forms to taxpayers. Some libraries also have copies of commonly requested publications. Many large grocery stores, copy centers and office supply stores have forms you can photocopy or print from a CD.

4. By mail You can call 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time – except Alaska and Hawaii which follow Pacific time – to order current year forms, instructions and publications as well as prior year forms and instructions by mail. You will receive your order by mail, usually within 10 days.

 Links:   Publication 2053A, Quick and Easy Access to IRS Tax Help and Forms (PDF 40K)

Taxpayer Information and Responsibilities

Welcome to an AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site. The sites are staffed with AARP Foundation Tax- Aide volunteers that have been trained and are certified by the IRS to prepare a range of individual income tax returns. Please take a moment to read the following information which will ensure a smooth process for both you and the volunteers at the site:

1. You are responsible for the accuracy of your return. Our volunteers do not provide legal or financial advice. Our job is to assist you to complete and file your federal and/or state tax return. We are not permitted to provide advice, such as how you can reduce your tax responsibility or handle other financial responsibilities. You may need to consult with a paid tax professional or financial advisor if you have questions that we cannot answer.

2. There are some types of returns that we cannot assist you with. Some taxpayers have situations that require a tax form that is outside the scope of our program, our training and the IRS certification. Please review the poster which is available at the site for a list of circumstances which are deemed “out of scope” for this program. Additionally, even if the return does fit within the allowable scope of our assistance, a volunteer may need to decline to assist you if your return is beyond the comfort level of their experience. If you have any of those situations, then this site will not be able to prepare your tax return, even if this site has done so in the past. If you have a question about whether your return is out of scope, ask a volunteer so that you do not have an unnecessary wait. Please do not ask that a volunteer make an exception in your case.

3. The Client Intake form must be fully and accurately completed before your return can be started. Please let us know if you have questions or need assistance completing the form. If you do not have required documentation for an exemption, deduction or tax credit then you will need to return when you have it available for the volunteer to review. All relevant tax records are required to prepare an accurate tax return.

4. Taxpayers will be called for assistance in the order listed on the sign-in sheet, or appointment (if applicable at the site). Exceptions will be made if the circumstances of the return provide that a specific volunteer is more appropriate to prepare the return accurately or expeditiously. AARP members are not given preference over non-members.

5. If you have a joint return, it will require the signature of both spouses. If your spouse is not present at the site, then you will have to obtain your spouse’s signature before the return can be e-filed.

6. Once your return is prepared it will be given a quality review by a second trained and certified volunteer in order to ensure that it is thorough and accurate. Although this may require you to have an additional wait, this quality review service is done for your benefit to ensure that you receive the best service that we can provide.

7. 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 his or her return prepared. Failure to comply when requested to leave the site may result in the police being contacted.

8. 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 counselors at their home or outside of this site.

9. Wait until mid-March if your return includes income for mutual funds or REIT’s, there are often one or more corrected 1099’s issued.

In order to assist the volunteer in accurately and completely preparing your return, please be sure you have the following documents with you:

Required documents in order to have return started:

• Social Security Cards or comparable documentation for you, your spouse (if applicable) and all dependents.
• Income related documents: Forms W2, Unemployment compensation statements, SSA 1099, 1099R, and other 1099 forms showing home mortgage interest or other income.
• Expense related documents: Checks and forms showing federal and state taxes paid, 1098 forms, documentation of medical, dental, charity, or business expenses, any vehicle and property taxes, and mortgage interest paid. Receipts for expenses need to be in reasonable order and legible.
• Brokerage statements or other documentation showing the cost basis (purchase price) and date purchased for all securities or property sold or transferred during the tax year.
• A check with your name printed on it for direct deposit/debit of any refund/balance due. A check in your checkbook is acceptable. A cancelled check is not required. Deposit slips are not acceptable.

Other helpful documents to bring:

• Please provide a copy of your last year’s tax return. The data on the last year’s return is needed to complete the new tax return if you had itemized deductions the previous year and received a refund.
• If you receive a pension or annuity from a former employer, please bring the date that you began to receive payments. (In some cases, this is required)

LIKE TO VOLUNTEER?

To learn more about volunteering with the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, check out the rest of the web site and then register on the “Contacts” tab. Most volunteers are involved for only the 10-11 week tax season each year – a great short-term commitment!

You may prefer to call 502-394-3443 or e-mail LouTax-Aide@insightbb.com. Your contact will then be referred to the District Coordinator in your area of KY or Southern Indiana. Out of state inquiries will be forwarded to the appropriate state leaders for further contact and information.

GETTING A NEW COMPUTER???

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program (a 501c3 organization) would be pleased to receive your old laptop computer or flat screen monitor. More and more taxpayers now prefer their returns to be filed electronically so the need for more computers increases each year.

Your gift will be appropriately recognized and you may be eligible for a deduction on your tax return if you itemize. In any case, it would be greatly appreciated. Contract Tax-Aide at 502-394-3443 or LouTax-Aide@insightbb.com.

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