Tax help still available

The Tax-Aide program, a free service sponsored by the AARP Foundation and the IRS, provided free tax preparation assistance and answered tax questions for more than 2,100 Kootenai County taxpayers in February. The group will continue to do so into April.

Tax-Aide helps low- to moderate-income taxpayers and seniors with their tax returns each year. Locally, 80 trained and IRS-certified volunteers work at five different sites. The program is available to most taxpayers, however the complexity of the return may prevent the return from being completed by Tax-Aide.

Tax-Aide is available at the following sites by appointment:

Lake City Center - 667-4628.

Post Falls Senior Center - 773-9582.

Rathdrum Senior Center - 687-2028.

Athol Community Center - 683-2407.

Walk-ins may come to the Silver Lake Mall Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Tax-Aide volunteers will also work with shut-ins, who should call 667-4628 or 687-2028.

When taxpayers come to the sites for assistance, they need to bring their Social Security cards (and a card for anyone else who may be included on the return), a photo ID, last year's (2012) income tax return, and all of their 2013 income documents (W-2s, 1099s, etc.).

The appointment sites will not be open April 15.

Tax-Aide is hoping to provide assistance to more than 5,000 taxpayers this year in Kootenai County and will return more than $2.5 million in refunds to the local economy.