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By Karla Pomeroy
Editor 

Free tax service available now at Worland Senior Center

 

February 21, 2019

Karla Pomeroy

The AARP Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly services have begun at the Worland Senior Center. Last week, tax preparers (back) Terry Livingston and Lee Lockhart, and (front, l-r): Larry McGonigal, Sherry Stottler, Paul Gaulke and Marlene Bower, worked on each other's taxes in preparation to provide the free service to area residents.

WORLAND - For more than 15 years the Worland Senior Citizens Center has been an AARP tax preparation site and they are again this year, starting the free service this week.

According to coordinator Sherry Stottler, each year the preparers help with 150 tax returns.

The preparers are certified to prepare taxes by the IRS under the auspices of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly. Stottler said each preparer goes through 30 to 40 hours of training and testing to become certified.

According to the IRS, the TCE program, established in 1978, "provides tax counseling and return preparation nationwide to people who are 60 or older. Volunteers receive training and technical assistance.

"The VITA program, created in 1969, assists underserved communities, such as low- and moderate-income individuals and limited English proficient taxpayers. VITA grant recipients provide free federal tax return preparation and electronic filing. Congress first appropriated funds in 2007 to establish a grant program. The grant program helps expand VITA services to underserved populations and increases the number of taxpayers able to file electronically."

This year's preparers are Stottler, Larry McGonigal, Marlene Bower, Lee Lockhart, Terry Livingston and Pam Gaulke.

The service is free and is open to anyone, not just elderly or low income. Stottler said they can do most returns but some may be out of their scope including farms, rentals and those with depreciation.

The preparers can e-file tax returns or provide paper returns for people to mail to the IRS.

The Worland AARP tax preparation site serves the southern Big Horn Basin including Worland, Ten Sleep and Thermopolis. There are also sites in Greybull, Cody and Powell serving the Big Horn Basin.

The preparers in Worland are available on Mondays and Fridays at the senior center by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling the senior center at 347-3208.

Stottler said the one-hour slots have already started filling up fast.

The service began Monday and runs through Friday, April 12.

Those making an appointment need to bring all 2018 income, health insurance and other pertinent tax documents, photo identification and Social Security card, bank account information if you are planning to e-file and the 2017 return if possible.

 
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