Free tax assistance begins in February

February marks the opening of Tax-Aide sites around Alaska. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program is designed to prepare basic tax returns and anyone can use the service regardless of age or income.

Sites are staffed by volunteers who are trained and certified by Internal Revenue Service and AARP Foundation instructors to prepare basic tax returns. By using AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, these taxpayers also avoid tax preparation fees and pitches for high-interest tax credit or refund loans. And the service is free.

Below are the dates and hours for the sites throughout Alaska. Individuals may also find a nearby Tax-Aide site by visiting http://www.aarp.org/taxaide or calling 1-888-227-7669.

For additional information on “Super Saturday” sites, and “self-assisted” sites, individuals can call the Alaska 211 referral line by dialing 2-1-1 or toll free 1-800-478-2221.

Tax-Aide clients are required to have a photo ID plus Social Security cards for all people named on the tax return, according to Jan Watson, Alaska Prospective Volunteer Specialist for AARP Foundation Tax-Aide. She urged people to bring in their tax return from last year, as well.

Without Social Security card information, people may be sent away.

Because of the risk of identity theft, it’s advisable for everyone to file a return, including taxpayers who do not have a filing requirement and don’t usually file.

All listed Tax-Aide sites will open in February. Please note that since locations are staffed by volunteers using donated space, dates and times may change. For the most current information, call the Alaska 211 referral line by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or find it on the web at http://www.FreeTaxPrepANC.wordpress.com.

Anchorage

Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 East 19th Ave. Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Feb. 19 for President’s Day.

NE Muldoon Community Center, 1251 North Muldoon Road. Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m .; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

First Free Methodist Church, 4607 East 6th Ave. Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m., beginning Feb. 13.

Spenard Rec Center, 2020 West 48th Ave. Tuesdays, 1 to 4 p.m. beginning Feb. 6.

Crosspoint Community Church, 1920 West Dimond (next to JoAnn Fabrics). Fridays, 2 to 5 p.m. (closed March 30) and Sat., April 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Credit Union 1 – Mountain View, 115 North Bragaw Street. Wednesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

AARP Alaska State Office, Frontier Building, 3601 C Street, Conference Room 1404. Wednesdays, 1 to 4 p.m.

University Center, 3901 Old Seward Highway (south end of the mall). Feb. 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and April 17, noon to 9 p.m.

Girdwood

Gerrish Public Library, 250 Egloff Drive, Thursdays, March 1 and March 22 only, and Sat., March 31 only

Chugiak/Eagle River

Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center, 22424 N. Birchwood Loop Road. Wednesdays, noon to 4 p.m .; Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m.

Mat-Su Valley

Wasilla Senior Center, 1301 Century Circle. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed Feb. 19 and March 26); Call 376-3104 for appointment; walk-ins also welcome.

Mat-Su Evangelical Church, 5201 East Mayflower Lane (located about Mile 7 Palmer-Wasilla Highway). Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 746-6113 for appointment; walk-ins also welcome.

Mat-Su Senior Services, 1132 S. Chugach. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 745-5454 for appointment; walk-ins also welcome.

Houston City Hall, 13878 W. Armstrong Rd. Tuesdays, Feb. 6, 27, March 20 and April 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins accommodated if possible, call 746-6113 for appointments.

Trapper Creek Community Center, Near Mile 115.4 Parks Hwy. Feb. 13 and March 6 only, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins possible, call for appointment, 746-6113

Upper Su Senior Center, 16463 E. Helena, Sunshine-Talkeetna. Tuesdays, Feb. 23, March 27, and April 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins if possible, call for appointment, 746-6113

Fairbanks

Noel Wien Library, 1215 Cowles Street. Saturdays, noon to 3 p.m. and Tuesdays, 4 to 7 p.m. No appointment necessary; walk-ins welcome.

Fairbanks Senior Center, 1424 Moore Street. By appointment only; call 452-1735.

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bunnell 319 (The Nook). Saturdays, Feb. 10, 17, March 3, 24 and 31, April 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Kenai Peninsula

Homer

Homer United Methodist, 770 E. End Rd. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments available, call 299-6020

Kenai

Kenaitze Indian Tribe, 150 North Willow St. By appointment only, 335-7622 or 335-7625. Must be eligible to receive services from Kenaitze Indian Tribe.

Soldotna

Soldotna Library, 235 N. Binkley St. By appointment only, call 262-4227

Southeast

Angoon City Hall Conference Room, 700 Aandeinaatt St., Friday, March 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m .; Saturday, March 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Juneau

Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority, 5446 Jenkins Dr. Tuesdays, 3 to 6:30 p.m. (except Feb. 20 and March 20); Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 24, March 10 and April 14. Open to all needing help with basic tax return.

Nugget Mall, 8745 Glacier Hwy. Mondays, 2 to 7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ketchikan Public Library, 1110 Copper Ridge Lane. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (except Feb. 17 and March 24), Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 7, 14 and 28.

Kake Senior Center, Friday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Klawock Senior Center, 465 Summit St., Friday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m .; Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Metlakatla Tongass Federal Credit Union. Volunteers will visit on Feb. 8 and 9 and March 29 and 30. Appointment only. 886-5975

Sitka

University of Alaska Southeast, 1332 Seward Ave., Room 226. Wednesdays, 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Swan Lake Senior Center, 402 Lake Street. Wednesdays, noon to 3:30 p.m. By appointment only; call 747-8617.

Skagway Thursday, March 2. Time and location to be announced.

Wrangell Nolan Center, 1096 Outer Drive. Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m.

Other areas

Alaska Business Development Center has traveling teams of volunteers that visit the following regions, and a mail-in option is available if you’ve missed the volunteers’ visit: Aleutians; Copper Valley; North Slope; Western Alaska; Bering Strait; Interior; Pribilofs; Yukon Delta; Bristol Bay; Kodiak; Southeast

As a taxpayer, you should bring the following documents with you:

Photo ID for all adult taxpayers

Social security or ITIN cards for all persons listed on the tax return

W-2 forms, unemployment compensation, SSA-1099 Social Security, 1099-R pension/annuity, all 1099 forms (INT, DIV, B, MISC)

A list of all deductible expenses (medical, contributions, mortgage interest, property taxes, medical/business mileage)

Child care expense information (name/employer, address, EIN/Social Security number)

Written bank account information for direct deposit

Last year’s tax return

Health Insurance Information

Form 1095A for people who bought from the ACA Marketplace

A list of who on your tax return had coverage and for which months

Healthcare.gov exemption certificate number, if you have one

Taxable income information for dependents listed on the return