If you can't find the answer to your question below, please see the Contact Information tab and email us with your question. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
There is a lot of miss-information around the taxability of Social Security benefits.
Social Security benefits are taxable, regardless of age, based on an individuals specific tax situation.
The Interactive Tax Assistant tool on IRS.gov can help taxpayers answer the question Are My Social Security or Railroad Retirement Tier I Benefits Taxable? Below is a synopsis of what you will find on the IRS web site for Tax Year 2022:
The portion of benefits that are taxable depends on the taxpayer's income and filing status.
Take one half of the Social Security money they collected during the year and add it to their other income.
Other income includes pensions, wages, interest, dividends and capital gains.
If they are single and that total comes to more than $25,000, then part of their Social Security benefits may be taxable.
If they are married filing jointly, they should take half of their Social Security, plus half of their spouse's Social Security, and add that to all their combined income. If that total is more than $32,000, then part of their Social Security may be taxable.
Filing single, single, head of household or qualifying widow or widower with $25,000 to $34,000 income.
Married filing separately and lived apart from their spouse for all of the tax year with $25,000 to $34,000 income.
Married filing jointly with $32,000 to $44,000 income.
Filing single, head of household or qualifying widow or widower with more than $34,000 income.
Married filing jointly with more than $44,000 income.
Married filing separately and lived apart from their spouse for all of the tax year with more than $34,000 income.
Married filing separately and lived with their spouse at any time during the tax year.
Many factors go into whether you need to file or not. AARP Tax-Aide counselors are available to review your specific situation.
There is also information on the IRS.GOV website that explains who should file. The link is https://www.irs.gov/filing/individuals/who-should-file.
Keep in mind that filing, even though your not required to, may be beneficial in your situation. An example would be to get back any taxes you paid that you didn't need to because of your income level or deductions you might be allowed.
The AARP Tax-Aide Foundation recommends that everyone who has income, regardless of its source, file a return in order to combat identity theft, especially among the elderly.
The AARP Tax-Aide Foundation partners with the IRS to provide our services to the community. Training is limited and is provided only for specific tax situations. Without proper training, volunteers may not prepare a return accurately, running the risk of putting the tax payer in danger of filing an improper return. This could lead the taxpayer to pay substantial fines, penalties or risk other more severe legal action.
The program scope is outlined on this site. In addition to these scope guidelines, each site may determine independently that a specific tax situation is beyond our ability.
Possibly. AARP Tax-Aide has a a service called the State Tax Assistance Program (STAP), which allows us to coordinate with counselors in other states to prepare the taxpayers entire return. Not all states participate in this program. See the tab titled Part Year Resident for additional information.
Possibly. AARP Tax-Aide has a a service called the State Tax Assistance Program (STAP), which allows us to coordinate with counselors in other states to prepare the taxpayers entire return. Not all states participate in this program. See the tab titled Part Year Resident for additional information.
Once you have signed your return authorizing AARP Tax-Aide to e-file it, we have up to 3 days to actually e-file your return. Typically it is done within 24 hours. It generally takes less than 24 hours for the IRS and State to acknowledge receipt and accept/reject the return.
Once AARP Tax-Aide e-files a return, we only have the ability to see whether it has been received and accepted or rejected by the IRS or State. If it is rejected, a counselor will contact you to resolve the issue as soon as possible and re-transmit the return.
To track your Federal refund/return, the IRS has a links on the home page of their web site (irs.gov). You will need information from your return to use the tool. To track your Federal return, you must create an account with the IRS at irs.gov. There is a separate link on the irs.gov home page for this. Creating an account also allows you to see your tax history, request copies, etc.
To track your NC State refund/return you can go to: https://www.ncdor.gov/ and follow the links provided.
AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are strictly forbidden to speak with the IRS or NCDOR, or access your online accounts, on your behalf!
Yes. We can amend the current and up to 3 prior year returns.
We need all of the original documents and the original return in addition to the reason for the amendment.
Schedule an appointment through our appointment line and let the volunteer know you need help with amending a return or returns.
Please note that the same scope rules apply to amendments.
Yes both the IRS and the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation provide access to free tax preparation software online.
IRS: You can go to irs.gov and click on the File Your Taxes for Free link on the home page. You'll be given instructions on how to prepare and file your taxes.
AARP Tax-Aide: Access to tax preparation software and volunteers to assist you online can be found at: https://www.aarp.org/money/taxes
Absolutely. We have a several solutions.
Prepare your own return
If you have a computer and are able to prepare your own return, there are options available to you from IRS and AARP Tax-Aide which allow you to prepare your own return for free. See the information under the FAQ tab - "Can I prepare and e-file my own taxes for free?".
Power of Attorney
This service allows a Shut-in the ability to have a relative, friend or caregiver drop off and pick up the taxpayers return. See the information under the Shut-In Services tab for more information. Power of attorney forms can be downloaded or printed from the Power of Attorney tab.
Shut-in Services
We provide limited in-home assistance to taxpayers who qualify. See the information under the Shut-In Services tab for more information.
First, condolences for your loss. We know this can be a very stressful time and we will do our best to assist you.
The process and scope for preparing a deceased's return is the same as with any return, with a few exceptions:
We must have proof of death - A copy of the death certificate.
You must have proof that you are responsible for their estate. This involves getting a Power of Attorney form from an attorney.
You are responsible for gathering, organizing and presenting their documents to AARP Tax-Aide. This can be a daunting task and may take longer than the filing deadline to accomplish. We can assist with filing an extension if necessary.
An extension requires that we prepare a reasonable return based on past return information and any documents you might have for the current tax season. You will be required to pay anything owed based on the extended return. The IRS will make adjustments once the final return is completed.
Note: any future correspondence from the IRS will be directed to your address once an extension or return is filed.
We must have your name and address (at a minimum). The return will show that you are filing the return on behalf of the deceased.
Refund/Payment information. You have three options, however, check with an attorney to see if your specific situation requires a specific choice :
If the deceased's account is still open and you have the information and access to the account, the refund/payment can be done through that account.
You can use your account information or an account setup specifically to handle the estate. The refund/payment will be done through your account. Tax-Aide cannot split refunds between survivors. You must have a single account for this purpose.
You can choose to mail a payment or have the refund mailed to you.
Absolutely. AARP-Tax-Aide can prepare and e-file up to 3 prior year returns.
Please use the scheduling line to schedule an appointment and let the volunteer know that you need assistance with a prior year return(s).
Please note that scope rules apply to all current and prior year returns.
We get it. Paperwork is annoying, time consuming and just plain no fun at all. But, it is a necessary evil.
AARP Tax-Aide wants to prepare your return as accurately and as advantageously for you as possible.
By having you complete our intake sheet, it hopefully helps to jog your memory as to what documents and other tax related events occurred which need to be included in your return. It also provides us with information that is required in preparing your return.
Answering the questionnaires provides the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation with information to help better serve our community as well as helping us raise funds to maintain and grow the program.
Signing authorization forms ensures that you, as the taxpayer, are in control of your choices when it comes to your return. AARP Tax-Aide can only do what you authorize us to do.
AARP Tax-Aide's Code of Conduct forbids us to take any compensation for our services. By doing so, our site can be shut down indefinitely.
Your appreciation for our assistance is more than enough for us. We volunteer because we enjoy helping our neighbors and it brings us a sense of pride and joy to know we make a difference in our community.
Both the IRS an the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation provide online tools which will assist you in determining the appropriate amount to have deducted from your income in order to prevent that huge tax bill at the end of the year.
Both tools require a lot of information, so be prepared. Have as much information available and time to work through the process as possible.
You can check out the AARP Financial Calculator .
For the IRS version you can go to irs.gov and the Tax Withholding Estimator link is on the home page.
We recommend you speak with a representative from the Marketplace if you have any questions or concerns.
While the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation cannot provide you information on how to navigate the Marketplace, we do provide a tool which assists you in determining your financial situation.
Select the Financial Calculator from the navigation bar to access AARP's tool.
AARP Tax-Aide Counselors must attend mandatory, IRS sponsored, training. Once training is complete, counselors are required to pass IRS tests to ensure their understanding of the tax law, software use, as well as their roles and responsibilities as counselors. They are certified by the IRS to prepare taxes for the AARP Tax-Aide program utilizing the software and tools provided by the IRS.
Training is limited to specific tax situations which represent the largest portion of taxpayers utilizing our program. These limitations are defined in our scope statement (see Scope tab). Anything outside our scope is not part of our training and our counselors are not allowed to prepare returns that have these specific situations.
You may contact the IRS or the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation if you have any specific questions or concerns.
Both spouses are not required to drop off a return for preparation. However, both are required to present a photo ID and sign the return once it is complete.
If one or the other is not available, the one picking up/signing the return must do one of the following:
Provide a Power of Attorney or equivalent. Sample Power of Attorney's (authorizing and non-authorizing signature) are provided on the Power of Attorney tab.
Alternatively, Tax-Aide will accept a letter signed by the spouse. Appropriate verbiage for the letter is as follows, including year of return:
I, full name of spouse, authorize name of spouse/authorized person to sign my 20XX year tax return on my behalf.
The POA or letter must be accompanied by a photo ID and Social Security card of the spouse.
Pick up the return and take it to the spouse for their signature. Until the return is brought back to the site with both signatures, it will not be e-filed. A counselor will contact the client if the return is not brought back within the agreed upon time frame.
The AARP Tax-Aide Foundation relies on volunteers to operate sites. Without volunteers willing to give their time to support the program, we often can not support many areas which would benefit from our services.
If your interested in volunteering or would like to initiate an inquiry to establish a group in your area, please contact the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AARPFoundation
Email: taxaide@aarp.org
Toll-free Nationwide: 888-OUR-AARP (888-687-2277)
When you claim federal tax credits and deductions on your tax return, you can change the amount of tax you owe.
Deductions can reduce the amount of your income before you calculate the tax you owe. Deductions are only relevent when itemizing. Alternatively, the standard deduction can be used to reduce your taxable income, without itemizing.
Credits can reduce the amount of tax you owe or increase your tax refund, and some credits may give you a refund even if you don't owe any tax.
While we can't help you in getting your specific tax documents, we can assist you by preparing an extension.
We will need your prior year return, as well as all documents you have for the current tax year. You will be required to pay any taxes due when filing an extension, however, you will not be eligible for a refund until the final return is filed.
Once you have your remaining documents, you will file your final return. You may be entitled to a refund or owe taxes based on the final return. Credit for previously amounts will be factored in.
Tax-Aide Counselors may be reached off season using the contact information found on this site. If we have filed an extension for you, we will expect to hear from you prior to the extension deadline, so that we can file your final return. Failure to file by the deadline will incur fines or penalties.
See https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return for details on filing an extension.
The AARP Tax-Aide Foundation does allow Districts to participate in non-traditional tax preparation events. However, we require approval from our State and/or National offices.
The requesting organization and site must meet specific guidelines (such as safety, internet access, etc.).
Also due to volunteer capacity, we may not have staff enough to support your request.
Please contact our District Coordinator (see Contact Information tab) to determine if we can assist you.
Itemizing can be very complex.
You can not just add up all your qualifying expenditures and compare it to the standard deduction amount. Some, like medical expenditures, have rules regarding how much can be used when itemizing.
All expenditures combined and pro-rated (based on tax rules), must be greater than the standard deduction amount, which is based on your specific situation (i.e. single, married filing jointly, over 65, blind, etc.).
To complicate matters more, the Federal and State standard deductions are different, so you may not qualify for the Federal, but you may qualify for the State.
We have included a worksheet and general guidelines for organizing your expenditures and determining if you may be able to itemize on the Itemizing tab. This information is provided only as a guide. Please refer to the irs.gov AND ncdor.gov websites for details.
If you plan to itemize or are not sure if you can, we require that you organize your expenses based on the guidelines provided. Counselors will not go through receipts or total long lists of amounts. You will be asked to reschedule your appointment until you have organized everything.
Everyone is eligible to have their taxes prepared by the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation, as long as their tax situation falls within our scope.
If you paid taxes, yes. If you are low income, and paid taxes, it is possible you are owed a refund. This is particularly true for students and elders who supplement their Social Security income.
Absolutely. We are trained to prepare returns for students of all ages, whether they are supported by their parents or are continuing their education.
Awesome! The program is always looking for volunteers.
Our District has a dedicated Recruitment Coordinator who can work with you to determine the next steps. See the Contact Information tab for their phone and email information.
Also, checkout our Volunteering tab for general information on the program.
The AARP Tax-Aide Foundation allows Counselors to prepare tax returns for friends and family. This may require the Counselor to travel outside the Scope boundaries of the AARP Tax-Aide Foundation. Counselors must confirm with these individuals that they are aware that the Counselor is preparing their return without formal training on a specific topic (such as another states return).
It is possible to have a Counselor designate your return as Friends and Family, event though you are neither and prepare items normally out of Scope. They must request permission from their Local Coordinator or District Coordinator and provide proof that they took the necessary steps to prepare the return accurately. The taxpayer assumes the responsibility if the return is not prepared properly, which may include penalties and/or fines.
Most counselors will not provide this type of service to a general tax payer. If you have a specific need, please contact the District Coordinator (see Contact Information tab).
The sale of property, whether it be a home or vacant land can be complex. IRS publication 523 (irs.gov) explains in detail the rules regarding exclusion of some or all of the income you received from the sale and provides a worksheet for organizing the information related to the sale.
We recommend that you review the publication and come to your Tax-Aide appointment prepared with the necessary information needed to determine your specific liability. This information includes, but is not limited to: form 1098-s (if you received one), date and amount of purchase, date and amount of sale, property use (main home, vacation property, etc.), expenses incurred during the sale, and improvements made to the property.
It may be necessary for a Counselor to meet with you in-person to ensure we fully understand the sale. When making your appointment, indicate you need an in-person appointment and be prepared to spend thirty minutes or more at the site.
The deadline to file 2023 tax returns is April 18, 2024 since April 15, 2024 falls on a Saturday and Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in Washington, D.C., is April 17, 2024.
If you can't make the April 18 tax deadline, file an extension.
Paper returns and payments must be post marked by this date, otherwise penalties may apply.
The official sites for this information are: irs.gov and ncdor.gov