Groups Offer Tax Help

Income Limitations Vary From Program To Program

Walter Gaspord, left, gets help with his tax return from Claudine Barnett, an AARP volunteer tax preparer. Business was brisk on Wednesday for tax assistance at the Rogers Activity Center.
Walter Gaspord, left, gets help with his tax return from Claudine Barnett, an AARP volunteer tax preparer. Business was brisk on Wednesday for tax assistance at the Rogers Activity Center.

Filing income taxes can be stressful, but some area organizations hope to ease the anxiety by offering free assistance.

“We are seeing an increase in the number of people using this free service,” said Holly Hill, vice president of community impact for the United Way of Northwest Arkansas.

The United Way is funding the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program in the area at four sites. The local VITA program netted $3.16 million in refunds through 1,890 federal and 1,695 state returns last year, said Hill.

AARP is also offering free help at two Northwest Arkansas locations.

People wanting to file their own taxes can find many free options online.

Income limitations vary from program to program and site to site, but $50,000 is a standard cap. The 2011 median household income was $52,159 in Benton County and $41,475 in Washington County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

At A Glance

AARP Tax-Aide

• Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club, 560 N. Rupple Road, Fayetteville. Site open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Appointment only; call 479-310-0087.

• Rogers Activity Center, 315 W. Olive St., Rogers. Site open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. First-come, first-served; doors open at 6 a.m.

Online

• myfreetaxes.com

• dfa.arkansas.gov

• irs.gov

Source: Staff Report

The VITA income limit is $50,000 at most sites.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide does not have an age or income limit, but gives priority to low- and moderate-income people age 60 and older.

No matter where the taxes are being prepared, people are reminded to bring a state-issued identification card, Social Security card, all relevant tax documents and a copy of their 2011 tax return.

Joan Camerlingo, VITA site coordinator at the Springdale NWA Tax Center, said volunteers have filed almost 300 returns already this year.

This is the center’s fourth year offering the tax help program, and Camerlingo said her site alone file nearly 1,600 returns each year and help more than 2,000 people.

“We don’t just file taxes, but we also answer tax questions,” she said. “Some people will bring in letters and forms and we will explain what they mean.”

The Tax Center offers help in English, Spanish and Marshallese. Last year, 45 percent of people using the program were Caucasian, 37 percent were Hispanic and the remainder were Marshallese and Asian.

Kim Porter, director of the Office of Human Concern Family Resource Center, said the Rogers VITA location offers help in English and Spanish.

She said people need to call 211 and use the United Way’s referral line to set up an appointment for her site.

Some free preparation sites only remain open until the April 15 tax deadline. Porter said her site will stay open until Oct. 1.

“The neat thing about the VITA program is every volunteer here is certified by the IRS,” Porter said. “They know what they are doing.”

Suzy Arellano of Avoca had her taxes completed at the Rogers AARP tax preparation site. She has used the program the past several years.

“They are very helpful,” she said. “They go out of their way to help you with any issues you might have.”

Where to Go

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

• Office of Human Concern, Family Resource Center, 2510 N. 17th St., Suite 204, Rogers. By appointment; call 211. English and Spanish.

• NWA Tax Center, NWACC Adult Education Center, 1200 W. Walnut St., Suite 1202 (in Non-Profit Center), Rogers. Open 3-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. English and Spanish.

• University of Arkansas, Sam M. Walton College of Business, Building 301, Office 471, Fayetteville. Open 12:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday. English and Chinese.

• NWA Tax Center, Jones Center for Families, 922 E. Emma Ave., Suite 116, Springdale. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (closed Thursdays in March). English, Spanish and Marshallese.

About 20 people were waiting for the program to start at 9 a.m. Friday in the Rogers Activity Center, and more people were streaming through the center’s doors.

Arellano said you may have to wait, but it is worth if for free filing. She advised people to get there early.

“You are going to have to wait anywhere you get your taxes done this time of year,” she said.

Madelin Pajas helps with the Rogers AARP program, and she said it is not usual for people to start lining up when the doors to the Rogers Activity Center open at 6 a.m.

Tony Pajas, coordinator of the Rogers site, said they typically file 35 to 50 returns every day they are open. AARP volunteers also file that many at the Fayetteville site.

It is first-come, first-served in Rogers, but people need to set up an appointment for Fayetteville.

Tony Pajas said they used to set appointments in Rogers, but it required extra personnel to run the phone.

“If someone comes in and all the spots are filled that day, we will set something up with them for the next day we are open,” he said.

Between 900 and 1,000 people use the Rogers site annually, but Pajas expects to file about 300 additional returns this year since a Bella Vista site is not opening.

Most people using tax preparation sites can have their returns filed electronically and receive their refund via direct deposit.

Porter said she still has a handful of people wanting to file a paper return and get a check in the mail.

“But we encourage people to e-file and direct deposit. They can get their refund within eight to 10 days,” she said.

Mark Foster, Credit Counseling of Arkansas director of education, said he advises people to avoid refund anticipation loans.

“It may only save you a week’s time,” he said. “Only look at those loans in extremely dire situations.”

CCOA does not prepare income tax returns but provides general tips.

Foster said tax time is a good time to evaluate how much money people are having withheld from their paychecks.

“I tell people who receive a large tax refund every year but are struggling every month just to get by to look at changing how much money is being held out in taxes,” he said.

People getting large refunds should decide what they want to do with their money before they get it, he said.

“You don’t want to ask ‘Where did it go?’ It is easy to frivolously spend the money,” Foster said. “Have a game plan in place.”

People wanting to file their own taxes can use the myfreetaxes.com site if their household income was $57,000 or less in 2012.

This is the fifth year myfreetaxes.com has offered free filing. The program is done in cooperation with Goodwill Industries International, United Way and National Disability Institute and is funded by the Walmart Foundation.

The state of Arkansas is a member of the Free File Alliance and the state’s Department of Finance and Administration offers a list of free se

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