Volunteers needed for AARP Tax Program
Local resident and AARP Tax Program District Coordinator Gordon Foster has worked tirelessly for the last 10 years to help seniors and low income individuals file their taxes for free.
Now he needs volunteer help – from filers and other volunteers, including greeters that help coordinate activities.
He’s only requesting four hours per week during the tax season with training time necessary in January.
In North Fort Myers, Foster heads three locations for e-filing – The North Fort Myers Library, The North Forts Myers Community Park Center and The Grace Community Center.
He also spearheads Lehigh Acres activities.
Last year, he and his crew did over 2,700 filings for free – and he said he anticipates the need has grown.
“We serve mainly low to middle income individuals but there is no dollar qualification. We do have a preference to those over 60,” he said.
“We are short on volunteers this year, about 75 percent are returning but we usually have 95 percent,” said Gordon. “Some had to leave for personal reasons. The ones that are returning – they know the drill.
“The fact is we are growing. We need more volunteers because were going to do more returns this year.”
He is asking that volunteers sign up as soon as possible, as there will be January training classes.
“If you are later volunteer, we will accommodate your schedule. The most important thing is, for the filers a knowledge of computers. We don’t need experts – we can teach them about taxes. Those other volunteers who don’t have to do taxes are also needed,” he said.
For tax help, you must sign up in person, at the library for both the library and the North Fort Myers Community Center for those free tax services, and at the Grace Community Thrift Store for those who want the services there.
“I’ve been doing this for more than 10 years, but we have lost some volunteers that have been doing this for over 25 years,” Foster noted. He said his preparers try to make it a non-stress environment, but noted one thing this year that may he to have them come back if not fully prepared with all their taxpapers.
“This year a new form – 8949 – is in lieu of schedule D about solid assets stocks and more. There’s a special treatment for those who sell stock and get a brokerage statement. The taxpayer should make sure that the cost basis of their stock is shown on their brokerage statement. 8949 will report whether or not they have the cost basis of stocks sold. It will probably be one of the biggest issues for people going back and forth to get that form.”
He also said that this may be the biggest thing the IRS may check up on.
“And you don’t want to hear from the IRS.”
Another thing he noted was the mail. “Quite a lot of people don’t know they won’t get 1040’s in the mail anymore if they have e-filed before.”
Not a problem, he said, of past beneficiaries.
His philosophy is a “low stress” filing. He hopes volunteers will come forward in the next week or two, then sign-ups for the actual filings which will begin mid-January, and actual filing in the beginning of February.
For more information on volunteering, go to logofoster@aol.com or call 848-5284.
Again, for free tax preparation, you must go to the North Fort Myers Library or The Grace Community Thrift Store to sign in with an appointment.
The library is located at 2001 N. Tamiami Trail, NE. For information, call 533-4320. The Grace Community Center is located at 4151 Hancock Bridge Parkway.