When I first retired, I contacted one of the tax helpers that the AARP Foundation provides for free and it was a great help to me. Considering one of my former jobs was for a tax attorney in Boston, I thought I knew it all – but I did not. This organization is recruiting volunteers who will help all those who may not be up to date on tax laws and changes, and make sense out of that shoebox full of receipts and bills they’ve been saving.

Those who join the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide team in the Greater Portland area can help others with the preparation of both their federal and state income tax returns and help them find credits and/or deductions they deserve. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. Volunteers do not need to be retired or AARP members.

In addition to tax preparation, many other volunteer opportunities are available. These include greeting taxpayers as they arrive at tax preparation sites, scheduling appointments, assisting with installation of software, trouble-shooting computer and printer problems, assisting with publicity or assuming one of the several leadership roles.

Volunteers preparing tax returns receive free training, usually in January, in both federal and state of Maine tax law, as well as in the use of tax software. No prior experience in tax preparation is required, but familiarity with computers is a necessity. Volunteer tax preparers must also pass an IRS open book exam. All volunteers are expected to attend the portion of the training that introduces volunteers to the policies and procedures related to the program.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are asked to commit a minimum of four hours per week through the 10-week tax filing season, which runs from Feb. 1 through April 15. Many volunteers opt for more. All volunteers are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses, including mileage.

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program is the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance program for low- to moderate-income taxpayers, with special attention to those 60 and over. Last spring throughout the U.S., more than 35,000 volunteers prepared tax returns for several million taxpayers. Here in Maine, some 250 volunteers at 70 tax preparation sites met with approximately 22,000 taxpayers and prepared more than 15,000 federal and state of Maine income tax returns, bringing $15 million in federal refunds to Maine residents and to the Maine economy. And, the service saved taxpayers the stress/frustration of preparing their own tax returns and/or saved them the cost of going to a paid preparer.

To learn more about the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program and to sign up as a volunteer, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide or contact Joan Jagolinzer at jagolinzer@gwi.net.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.