Tax filing season may be months away, but the Flagler County Tax-Aide team is already seeking volunteers who want to serve their community through the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program, said Sheri Muth, District Coordinator. Tax-Aide focuses on serving older adults with low to
moderate-income and helps them secure much-needed tax refunds Tax-Aide volunteers provide free tax preparation and electronic filing services to taxpayers, as well as provide tech support, help organize, recruit volunteers, translate, and more, Muth said.
Anyone interested in helping can contact Sheri at flaglerctytaxaide@gmail.com or call 386-243-5556. Volunteers are trained, and classes are generally held in January for the upcoming tax filing season. The amount of training required depends on the position. During tax filing season, February through April, the volunteers will assist taxpayers while the local site is in operation. For schedule information go to their local website at www.taxprepfree.net for details. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one day a week at a specific site for the entire season.
For the 2024 tax season: 27,771 volunteers at 3,600 sites helped 1,680,084 taxpayers receive $1,280,817,176 in refunds. Locally, the volunteers helped almost 3,000 taxpayers. More than 2,000 of the taxpayers they assisted received refunds totaling $2,412,637. Our volunteers are an amazing, friendly, supportive group, new volunteers have mentors to guide them.
There is an extreme sense of giving back and doing good that you get from assisting many low-income taxpayers complete their taxes for no charge, Muth said. “All levels and types of experience are welcome. Volunteers come from a variety of industries, ranging from retirees to college students, and do not need to be AARP members. “Tax-Aide volunteers make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable older adults and others right in their communities by helping build their financial resilience,” “Even modest refunds can impact the lives of older adults, especially those living with low incomes. Our Tax-Aide volunteers help make sure they don’t miss out on the credits and deductions they have earned and need.” Dating back to 1968, Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-based tax assistance and preparation program.
For more information, contact Sheri Muth at flaglerctytaxaide@gmail.com or call 386-243-5556. About AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program Florida residents can get their taxes done for free beginning in early February and continuing through mid-April. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, the nation’s largest free tax preparation assistance service, has low-contact, contact-free, and in-person options for providing taxpayer assistance. These options vary by location and are subject to change. AARP membership is not required. Visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide for details.
