PHOENIX — With April 15 looming in the not-too-distant future, taxpayers are starting to take action.

One taxpayer assistance option available is the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, which is providing free in-person and virtual tax assistance and preparation in Arizona through April 18.

“AARP Arizona is proud to be continuing our work with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide to provide Arizonans with free tax assistance this year,” Dana Marie Kennedy, the AARP Arizona director, said in a press release. “We know even modest refunds can impact the lives of older adults, and our Tax-Aide volunteers help make sure they don’t miss out on the credits and deductions they have earned and need.”

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is a volunteer-based tax assistance and preparation program that helped secure more than $1 billion in refunds for more than 1.2 million taxpayers last year, according to the release.

Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS, and AARP membership is not required.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers the following taxpayer assistance:

• In-Person: In Tax-Aide’s traditional in-person service, taxes are prepared and filed by IRS-certified tax counselors.

• Low-Contact: Taxpayers interact with IRS-certified Tax-Aide volunteers in one or two short, in-person meetings to exchange documents.

• Contact-Free: Taxpayers interact with Tax-Aide’s IRS-certified tax counselors online or by phone and exchange documents electronically and securely.

• Self-preparation: Tax-Aide provides consumers with free access to software to prepare their own taxes, and if needed, a Tax-Aide IRS-certified counselor can coach them through the process by phone or through computer screen-sharing.

Access to these services depends on volunteer availability in each locality.

Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified every year to ensure they understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code.

To find the nearest Tax-Aide location in your area, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).

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