Volunteers learn ins and outs of preparing income tax returns

Tax season is feared by most. It's a hassle. It's confusing. But there are people who enjoy the task of filing tax returns and are anxious to offer help for free.

This week, 30 volunteers from the AARP/IRS Tax-Aide program are gathering at the National Guard armory in Cape Girardeau for tax training sessions that resemble SAT preparation classes.

The volunteers sit behind long tables covered in textbooks and notebooks as instructor Bill Port guides the class through mock tax returns. Many of his sentences begin with "suppose this or suppose that."

The class is bombarded with hypothetical cases from early in the morning until 3 p.m. At the end of the week the volunteers must pass a certification test before they can volunteer their services to low-income people and the elderly.

"Many of the volunteers are experienced professionals who I think just like to keep their motor running after retirement," said Laverne Nothdurft, district coordinator instructor.

The training is sponsored by AARP and the IRS, which provide state-level training for the leaders. The leaders then bring the training down to the local program, which is more than 15 years old.

"We really appreciate the armory being open to us because it's hard to find a place to meet every day for a week," said Nothdurft. The armory donates use of its building for the classes.

While the volunteers cannot assist businesses and farms, they do work with all low-level income and elderly, the same group of people many of those in the class regularly volunteer with in other organizations.

Retired from Procter & Gamble, Roger Riley, a second-year volunteer from Jackson, fills his time volunteering with Meals on Wheels and serves on the board of directors at the Jackson senior center.

After doing his own tax returns and helping with his family's, he was eager to join Tax-Aide. This year he is involved with e-filing, transmitting the filled-out computer forms to the IRS.

"I enjoy doing this. So far it is a good group of people to work with," Riley said.

Bob Harper has volunteered on and off for the past 19 years at the AARP/IRS Tax-Aide. He said seeing the same people over the years is the best part of the job.

"I've had people that come in and even though there are three or four ready to help, say they want Bob to do it," Harper said.

crpierce@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127