THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702070221
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LIZ SZABO, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 81 lines
For many people, preparing their yearly income taxes is about as much fun as having root canal surgery. So why, in their golden years, would anyone volunteer to spend his days crunching numbers, for free?
Call them gluttons for punishment, but local volunteers from the American Association of Retired Persons and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance have been doing just that for more than a decade.
The organizations will offer tax preparation help for seniors at Chesapeake libraries and community center through April 15, said Dean Smith, Chesapeake coordinator for AARP Tax Aide. The association helps 600 to 700 people a year.
On a recent rainy afternoon at the South Norfolk Community Center, four volunteers sat on folding chairs with four clients, pink and blue tax forms spread out across the gray aluminum tables, while five more senior citizens lined up in the hallway waiting their turns.
Volunteers do not always have time to see everyone who shows up with their tax forms, especially when a particulary complicated return takes extra time, volunteer Louise Hall said. ``Those who we can't get to today go to the top of the list for next week,'' said Hall, an 11-year veteran of the AARP program.
February is a busy time for the tax volunteers, although things get most hectic as the April deadline approaches, Smith said.
Some seniors say they never take their taxes to anyone else.
Chesapeake resident Annis Greenlee has been coming to the South Norfolk center for three years.
``I feel safer if someone else does them for me,'' said Greenlee, who stopped by with her taxes after attending a bingo game with the First Seniors Club in another room in the community center. ``I used to have my taxes done by a CPA, but the prices kept going up and up and up every year until it just about took out any refund I'd get.''
John Hickey, a retired insurance claims adjustor from Virginia Beach, even has his own fan club of a sort - ``regulars'' who return to see him year after year. After nine years as a volunteer, Hickey is an old hand with 1040 forms. He typically spends half an hour per client, and commonly procures refunds of $700 to $1,300 a person.
``There are quite a few people who are willing to wait for a particular person, because they feel comfortable with them, and they haven't been audited yet,'' Hickey said.
AARP requires even repeat volunteers such as Hickey to receive 60 hours of training, Smith said. Tax preparers also must pass an exam and agree to keep all financial information confidential. Volunteers are trained to tackle interest on stocks and bond, as well as real estate sales. But they refer people with really intricate financial statements to professionals.
Deloris Lunford said she relies on tax volunteers to check her math, not to make her rich.
``I don't have enough money to worry about loopholes,'' said Lunford.
People interested in tax return help should remember to bring: a copy of last year's income tax return; W-2 forms; form SSA-1099, showing Social Security taxes paid; form 1099 INT/DIV/G and MISC showing money received; receipts or canceled checks showing medical expenses, real estate, personal property taxes and mortgage interest, Smith said. MEMO: More information is available by calling the Chesapeake Public
Library System at 382-6591 or AARP at 1-888-227-7669. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
TAX HELP
Help sessions from AARP for senior citizens will continue at the
following locations through April 15:
Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays.
Russell Memorial Library, 2408 Taylor Road, 12 to 3 p.m.
Thursdays.
Indian River Community Center, 2550 Old Greenbrier Road, 1 to 4
p.m. Tuesdays.
Senior Citizens Center, 100 Outlaw St., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb.
11, Feb. 25, Mar. 11, Mar. 25, April 8.
South Norfolk Community Center, 1217 Godwin Ave., 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. Wednesdays.
Tax assistance from VITA for others with low to middle-incomes
will continue at these locations:
Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 8, Feb.
15, Feb. 22, March 22, March 29, April 5.
Greenbrier Library, 1214 Volvo Parkway, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 25,
April 1, April 8.