Older adults and lower-income earners in the Upper Valley will still have access to free tax preparation assistance this year; it’s just going to be a different process during the pandemic.
Instead of sitting side-by-side with a volunteer tax preparer, people can drop off their paperwork and pick it up at a later time. In years past, AARP tax preparation clinics took place at the Upper Valley Senior Center in downtown Lebanon. Now they’ve been moved to 20 W. Park St. People will still call the senior center at 603-448-4213, to make an appointment on a Tuesday from Feb. 2-April 13. But they will bring their documents to the parking lot at 20 W. Park St., call a volunteer who will come down and get their paperwork, then wait in the parking lot until their taxes are complete.
“It’s going to be a little tedious,” said Peggy Mitchell, the AARP local coordinator for AARP tax program. “People are going to need to be patient.”
Volunteers in Lebanon typically help around 350 people a year, mostly senior citizens, file their taxes, Mitchell said. When exchanging documents with volunteers in the parking lot, people will be required to wear masks.
“Part of the reason we do this is the feel-good part of it that comes from helping someone who is right there,” Mitchell said. “We hope that we’ll see them all next year.”
People are advised to bring a cellphone with them so they can communicate with volunteers as they do their taxes. This year more than ever, it’s important that they bring all their tax documents with them and complete an intake form through the Upper Valley Senior Center ahead of their appointment.
In addition to W-2 forms, 1099 forms, health insurance information, a copy of last year’s tax return and other financial documents, people will also need to bring the receipt from both stimulus payments: the one from the summer and the one that was authorized in December. Even though many people did not receive the December stimulus funds until the new year, they still count as part of the 2020 tax year.
“They are not taxing you on that income,” Mitchell said. “It only goes on their tax return so the government can reconcile what you have and what you should have had.”
In addition to Lebanon, there will be other AARP tax clinic sites throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. People can find out about other locations by calling 888-227-7669. A tax clinic locator will be available in February at aarp.org.
Southeastern Vermont Community Action, better known as SEVCA, will also be running its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program this year. More information about that program can be found at sevca.org/economic-development/volunteer-income-tax-assistance or by calling 1-800-464-9951 or 802-722-4575.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
