Free tax assistance begins in February

March 16, 2020: An update statement from the Tax-Aide program:

In order to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 AARP Tax-Aide has made the decision to close all of their volunteer sites, effective today. This was a nationwide decision.

All volunteer sites in Anchorage are Tax-Aide sites.

Taxpayers who needed to return to the site with more information will be contacted by volunteers so that arrangements can be made to complete their returns.

The VITA program at UAF is also closed, as the campus has closed to public activities.

Currently, the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority site in Juneau is still operating on their normal schedule.

Taxpayers with simple returns can use of the Free File options at http://www.irs.gov, or use http://www.MyFreeTaxes.com to prepare their own return online, for free. MyFreeTaxes has no income limit this year, but the free option is only available for free returns – no Schedule A, C, D or E, and no Form 8814 (to report a child’s PFD on the parent’s return).

Please spread the word to clients, family or friends.

_________

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.

Find a nearby Tax-Aide site in the listings below, or by visiting http://www.aarp.org/taxaide or calling 1-888-227-7669. For additional information on special one-day event 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, and they should 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 sites are staffed by volunteers using donated space, so 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.

In addition to the communities listed below, the 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.

Anchorage

Anchorage Senior Activity Center, 1300 East 19th Ave. Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Feb. 13 for Presidents Day.

NE Muldoon Community Center, 1251 North Muldoon Road. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m .; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed March 10 and 12.

Mountain View Credit Union 1, 115 N. Bragaw Street, Community Room. Wednesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anchorage Baptist Temple, 6401 E. Northern Lights Blvd., room 110. Near church offices; enter on Northern Lights side. Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m., beginning Feb. 11.

Spenard Rec Center, 2020 West 48th Ave. Mondays, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Closed Feb. 17 and March 30.

South Anchorage: Goodwill Job Connections, 8931 Old Seward Hwy. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m. Appointments encouraged, call 538-4228.

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

Girdwood, Gerrish Public Library, 250 Egloff Drive. Thursdays, Feb. 20 and March 19, 1:30 to 5 p.m .; Saturday, March 28, noon to 4 p.m. Appointments, call 783-9029.

Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center, 22424 Birchwood Loop Rd. (North Birchwood exit), Wednesdays and Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. Closed Saturday, March 14.

Mat-Su Valley

Wasilla Senior Center, 1301 Century Circle. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Closed Feb. 17 and March 30); Call 376-3104 for appointment; walk-ins accommodated if possible.

Wasilla/Palmer Mat-Su Evangelical Church, 5201 East Mayflower Lane (located about Mile 7 Palmer-Wasilla Highway). Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 631-1456 for appointment; walk-ins also welcome.

Palmer 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, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 4 and 25, March 24 and April 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins welcome, call 631-1456 for appointments.

Trapper Creek Community Center, Near Mile 115.4 Parks Hwy. Tues., March 17 only, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins welcome; call for appointment, 631-1456

Talkeetna/Willow Upper Su Senior Center, 16463 E. Helena, Sunshine-Talkeetna. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 11, March 10 and 13, and April 14. Walk-ins welcome or call for appointment, 631-1456.

Fairbanks

Noel Wien Library, 1215 Cowles Street. Saturdays, noon to 3 p.m. and Tuesdays, 4 to 7 p.m .; Wednesday on April 15 only, noon to 3 p.m. Walk-ins welcome.

Fairbanks Senior Center, 1424 Moore Street. Mondays and Thursdays by appointment only; call 452-1735.

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bunnell 319 (The Nook). Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 7, 21 and 28 and April 4 and 11.

Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak

Homer United Methodist, 770 E. End Rd. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments available, call 299-4231 or email HomerTaxAide@gmail.com

Soldotna Library, 235 N. Binkley St. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. By appointment only, call 907-420-4318

Seward Resurrection Lutheran Church, 400 Third Ave. (enter off Jefferson). Thursday, Feb. 13 and Friday, Feb. 14. Call 224-5604 for appointment.

Kodiak Library, 612 Egan Way. Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Starting Feb. 8.

Southeast

Juneau St. Paul’s Church (St. Peter’s Hall), 9055 Atlin Dr. Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 17. Closed April 4.

Juneau Tlingit Haida Regional Housing VITA, 5446 Jenkins Drive, Conference Room. Wednesdays, 3 to 6 p.m. Super Saturdays, Feb. 29 and March 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m

Additional sites may be added. Check online.

Ketchikan Public Library, 1110 Copper Ridge Lane. Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Last day is April 11.

Metlakatla Tongass Federal Credit Union, 910 Milton Street. By appointment; call 228-8653.

Sitka University of Alaska Southeast, 1332 Seward Ave., Room 226. Wednesdays, 4 to 6:30 p.m.

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

Wrangell Nolan Center, 1096 Outer Drive. Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Last day is April 11.

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

If the taxpayer received a Form 1099-A from the Healthcare.gov Marketplace, that is very important information, and in that case they should be ready with income information for any dependents, too.