Free tax prep service for seniors offered in Washington, Iron counties

ST. GEORGE — A free service focused on helping seniors in Washington County file their taxes is being offered again for a new tax season.

Stock image | Photo courtesy of Pixabay, St. George News

Sponsored by the AARP Foundation and staffed by volunteers, it is a service that has taken place across the county for over 20 years and offers free tax preparations and filing for senior citizens.

“It’s a great service,” Tim Martin, a tax preparation volunteer, told St. George News Wednesday.

Martin has been volunteering with the free tax service for 13 years now and said the process has greatly improved since he started. Back then he was given a stack of papers to go through. Now everything is computerized, online and much more streamlined.

“We’ve gotten better at it,” he said.

Though not an accountant, Martin and other tax preparation volunteers are required to pass three different tests and take a week’s worth of classes each year. Taxes they prepared are also double checked before being electronically filed.

Due to ongoing pandemic concerns, taxes will be handled through a “drop off and pick up” process.

“It’s made it much more complicated because of COVID, but people still want to pay their taxes,” Martin said.

AARP-sponsored tax preparation sites are primarily focused on servicing seniors, while other sites, run by Volunteers in Tax Assistance, are generally open for others.

Process and locations

AARP Foundation-sponsored services

To have your tax return completed and e-filed, pick up a “tax envelope” at the front desk of the Active Life Center at 245 North and 200 West in St. George beginning this Friday. In the envelope will be an information form to be completed, plus a taxpayer consent form required to complete each tax return.

When the information form is filled out and required tax forms inserted in the envelope, an appointment is made to “drop off” the envelope.

Arranging this drop off is done by calling Pete or Nancy at 435-703-9995.

For those in Washington City, drop offs will be at the Washington City Branch Library at 220 N 300 East beginning Monday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m.

Contact Paul for appointments at 725-245-0304.

Hurricane drop off will be at the Hurricane Senior Center at 95 N. 300 West on Wednesdays starting Feb. 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Contact Cheri for appointments 385-215-9915.

At the drop off, tax preparers will check the person’s photo ID and verify all the required documents are in the envelope. The tax preparers will then take the envelope and prepare the return.

When the tax return is complete a few days later, a time will be arranged to meet at the Active Life Center to review and sign the tax return, which can then be e-filed with the IRS.

Masks must be worn in the tax room.

Drop off dates will be scheduled between 9 a.m. and noon from Feb. 1 through April 14 on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

NOTE: This year no tax returns will be prepared that include a home office, self-employed business, rental property or crypto currency.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance-listed services in Washington and Iron counties

In St. George, tax services are also offered through Dixie State University at the Udvar-Hazy Building in room 132 and run from Feb. 1 through April 7 on Tuesday and Thursday between 4-7 p.m. Appointments are required and can be arranged through this website.

Tax preparation is also offered at the Dixie State University campus in Hurricane at 112 S. 700 West, and will run from Feb. 2 through April 6 on Wednesday between 4-7 p.m. Appointments are required.

Both Dixie State locations will be closed March 14-18 for Spring Break.

The Five County Association of Governments, 1070 W. 1600 South, Building B, St. George, will also offer tax preparations from Feb. 2 through April 15 on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are required.

Free tax preparation is also available in Iron County at Southern Utah University in the Dixie Leavitt Building at 351 W. University Blvd. in Cedar City. Tax preparation service starts Feb. 1 and runs through April 7, Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30-8 p.m. Appointments are not required.

Ed. note: The address originally posted for the Five County Association of Governments was wrong and has been corrected.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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