AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Leader Communication

January 16, 2026

To: State Management Team (SMT) Members (SC, ASC, ADS, PCS, PVS, TRS, TCS), DCs, LCs, and Shift Coordinators  

CC: National Leadership Team (Regional Coordinators, Committee Chairs), Regional Advisors, Committee Members  

From: VP and National Director, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide  

Subject: Tax-Aide Leader Comm 1-16-2026

Leader Communication – January 16

AARP STATE OFFICE TAX-AIDE SITES

The AARP Foundation Technology team is working with AARP Engineering to facilitate smooth network connectivity at State Office Tax-Aide sites. Key Actions & Info:

• Site Confirmation: Volunteer leaders should contact existing sites to confirm hosting and maintenance for the new tax season.

• Whitelisting Requirements: If requested by State Office IT, please provide device MAC addresses or SSIDs to ensure your equipment is whitelisted.

• Network Access: Sites may request access to the ‘aarp-visitor’ network to facilitate operations.

FOR ALL LOCAL COORDINATORS

As you prepare to open your site, below is a useful list of 6 LC Enrichment Sessions that were presented the past year.

1. Building a Team and Succession Planning—Share responsibilities, cultivate new leaders and plan for the future.

2. Preparing for Tax Season—A step by step guide to getting ready for the season.

3. Advanced TSO - Reports and customer portal training.

4. Capacity Planning – Determine taxpayer appointment capacity without over-taxing or under-taxing your volunteers.

5. TSO Basics—How to add new preparers, assign permission levels, and basic reports.

6. Best Practices for Managing Basic vs. Advanced Certification at Local Site—The concepts discussed here can be used when assigning returns to new tax counselors.

Links to the recordings can be found in the Tax-Aide Event Calendar in the Tax-Aide links dropdown menu on your Chromebook, and in the section below.

TAX-AIDE EVENT CALENDAR

Here are the upcoming learning activities for your reference. To see the full schedule and access recordings, visit the Tax-Aide Event Calendar. Please do not submit a request for an invitation to these events. If you are not an invited attendee, links to the program recordings will be available seven days after the event.