Cancelation Update
Due to coronavirus concerns, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is suspending service nationwide, effective March 16, 2020, until further notice. More information is available in an article from PRNewswire.
Tax Deadlines Extended
The deadline for filing income tax returns and the payment deadline have both been extended to July 15, 2020. More information is available in an article from APNews.
AARP Tax-Aide Suspended
Because of the concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19), the AARP Foundation announced suspension of Tax-Aide services across the country beginning Monday, March 16, until further notice. This means that the sites at both the Mounce Library in Bryan and Ringer Library in College Station will be closed.
AARP will continue to assess when tax sites can reopen again for the remainder of the tax season. Watch this space for the latest information about resumption of Tax-Aide services.
Status of Tax Returns and Refunds
Tax-Aide e-files every completed return the same day and receives an immediate confirmation or rejection notice. If a return is rejected, the Tax-Aides contact the taxpayer the next day to revisit them and correct whatever was the problem. Thus, if a taxpayer did not hear from AARP Tax-Aide the day following e-filing, the return was accepted by the IRS.
The IRS generally takes around less than 21 days to issue a direct deposit refund for e-filed returns and six weeks for returns submitted on paper, although some require additional time. We do not know if the coronavirus situation will affect these timeframes.
Taxpayers can check the status of their refund 24 hours after the return was e-filed. Go to the IRS website www.irs.gov and click on Refund, or use the IRS2Go app on electronic devices. To check your refund status, you will need your social security number or ITIN, filing status, and exact refund amount. Updates are made daily, usually at night.
AARP TAX HELP
AARP volunteers will be available to help individuals prepare and file their personal income tax forms at no charge. There isn’t an income limit. Bring your photo ID, social security cards for everyone on your tax return, and all tax documents that you have received. It is also useful to bring a copy of last year’s tax return.
Many of the people who come to the Tax-Aide sites hold Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) because they are not eligible for a Social Security number. In order to file a tax return and receive all credits due, they must renew expiring ITINs. If they file a tax return with an expired ITIN, its processing will be delayed, and they’ll receive a reduced refund. The tax-aides would like to advise all people to renew their expired or expiring ITINs as soon as possible to avoid delays when they come to the Tax-Aide site. We have linked an IRS document that explains how to determine and renew expiring ITIN numbers (click on the linked words to view a pdf with instructions).
HELP IN COLLEGE STATION (LARRY J. RINGER LIBRARY)
Saturday, February 1 to Wednesday, April 15, 2020
- First come, first served, no reservations in College Station
- Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 AM to 5 PM
- Fridays, 9 AM to 4:30 PM
- Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM
- Extra Saturday hours, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, Feb. 1 & 8, Apr. 4
- Located at 1818 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy. S., College Station, TX 77845 (conference rooms at back of library)
- Library closed April 10-12 for Easter
- CANCELLED EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MARCH 16, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
HELP IN BRYAN (CLARA B. MOUNCE PUBLIC LIBRARY)
Saturday, February 1 to Tuesday, April 14, 2020
- Come in person to reserve a future place in line in Bryan
- Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 AM to 5 PM
- Fridays, 9 AM to 4:30 PM
- Saturdays, 9 AM to 1 PM
- Extra Saturday hours, 9 AM to 4:30 PM, Feb. 1 & 8, Apr. 4
- Located at 201 E. 26th St., Bryan, TX 77803 (second floor)
- Library closed April 10-12 for Easter
- CANCELLED EFFECTIVE MONDAY, MARCH 16, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
STEPS TO TAKE NOW
Get ready today to file your federal income tax return! Follow the links below for information you can use to prepare yourself for tax season.
IRS FREE FILE
Use Free File Software if your 2019 adjusted gross income is $69,000 or less and Free File Fillable Forms if your income is greater than $69,000.
Free File Software provides free federal tax prep and e-file for taxpayers. Select a brand name software , create an account and then the software guides you through return preparation. Examples of tax software include TurboTax, TaxAct, H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, and TaxSlayer.
File Fillable Forms is a FREE forms-based tool enabling you to select your income tax forms, enter your tax information, print and e-file your federal tax return. If you’re not comfortable completing a paper return by hand, without software to guide you, you should consider another method of filing your tax return.
IRS Free File is a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a group of industry-leading private-sector tax preparation companies that have agreed to provide free commercial online tax preparation and electronic filing. Read more about this partnership.
FOR SERVICE MEMBERS & THEIR FAMILIES
Military OneSource
Service members and their families are eligible for free tax software and support. Visit the link above to reach free, easy-to-use MilTax software and support services.
WHERE TO FIND FORMS
You can find and print most tax forms from the IRS website. You should never have to pay a website for a tax form! When in doubt, only download forms from a ‘.gov’ website. Librarians at either the Bryan or College Station branches can print off tax forms for you at $.10 a page. Please note that librarians cannot give tax advice, nor can we choose what tax form you should use!
NEED MORE HELP?
If you are having tax problems and have not been able to resolve them with the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) may be able to help you. This is a free service. Follow the link to locate your nearest TAS office.
