Helping others at tax time: Carl Patterson has volunteered with AARP Tax-Aide for 23 years

Carl Patterson, a longtime volunteer for the AARP Tax-Aide program, helps a woman with her taxes at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. (Laura Simon)

Carl Patterson has always done his own taxes, so after he retired from his job at the University of Missouri Extension Office in 1992, he decided to help others do their taxes, free of charge.

Patterson volunteers for AARP-TCE, which stands for the Association of American Retired Persons -- Tax Consulting for the Elderly.

"I saw something about it in the newspaper, and I went down and volunteered," he says.

Patterson has been assisting people with their federal and Missouri income tax filings for the past 23 years through AARP.

"Mostly, we (volunteers) do taxes for the elderly and the disabled, which is our core audience, but we'll do them for anyone, even for people from out of state," he says. "We'll figure out what they need to pay in taxes or help them to get a refund, all without them having to pay for the service."

Wendell Wyatt, district coordinator of Region 9 for AARP Tax-Aide, presents volunteer Carl Patterson with an award for his service to the organization. (submitted photo)

The tax counseling program, which has existed since 1946, has helped more than 3 million people nationwide, notes Patterson. Volunteers in the Southeast Missouri region, which includes Bollinger, Cape, Scott, northern Stoddard and Mississippi counties, helped more than 1,100 people with their taxes in 2014, says Wendell Wyatt, district coordinator of Region 9 for AARP Tax-Aide volunteers.

"I usually help around 100 people per tax season," says Patterson.

Approximately 23 volunteers work as AARP tax counselors in Southeast Missouri.

"About 14 (of the volunteers) do federal and Missouri taxes, about five of us do property tax credits and the other volunteers help with registration and preparing materials for filing," says Patterson. "You have to attend a training session that's held in mid-January, and you have to pass the training to be able to volunteer."

Wyatt says the need for tax counseling volunteers in this area is great.

"We lose a few volunteers from time to time," he says. "People who are interested in volunteering can go to the AARP website at www.aarp.org and click on 'Tax-Aide' for more information."

Patterson says he has found sizable tax refunds for several people over the years.

"There was one 90-year-old gentleman and he was rather fearful about getting his taxes done and worried he was going to owe money," says Patterson. "It took a few hours, but we ended up finding him a $3,000 refund! He was so happy, he tried to jump up in the air and click his heels, and he almost made it! Luckily, he landed safely without falling!"

Patterson enjoys being able to help people get their taxes filed, and he especially likes finding tax refunds for them.

"We are mostly helping people who are elderly with a very limited income," he says. "Some get less than $100 back (in tax refunds) and some get several thousand. Many use this extra money to catch up and pay some bills, and some use it as travel money to go visit family. They are people who need the help, and they really seem to appreciate it."

Patterson, who will turn 80 in May, was born in Desoto, Missouri, and has lived in Cape Girardeau for the past 27 years. After graduating from high school, he attended Fayette College and St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He was director of the Southeast Missouri Extension office for the University of Missouri for 23 years, retiring in 1992. He and his wife, Shirley, have been married for 59 years, and they have four children and seven grandchildren.

AARP Tax-Aide assistance sites will be available in **Southeast Missouri through April 9 at the following locations:

Cape Girardeau Public Library

1 to 4 p.m. Mondays

9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays

6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays

9 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Thursdays

Chaffee Senior Center

9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays

Sikeston Senior Center

1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays

9 a.m. to noon Mondays

Advance General Baptist Church

1:30 to 4 p.m. Mondays