AARP volunteers provide free income tax help for seniors at Wauconda library

With the April 15 income tax deadline looming, AARP Foundation tax-aides helped seniors through the process Wednesday at the Wauconda Area Library.

"People come here and we do taxes for them. We are open two days a week and work with 14 people a day," AARP site coordinator Ronald Gebhardt said. "We enjoy doing it and people appreciate what we do."

The IRS-certified volunteers have helped nearly 50 million low- to moderate-income taxpayers nationwide since 1968.

The mission of AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is to provide free tax preparation for low-income taxpayers and anyone 50 and older who can't afford a tax preparation service.

"It's a big relief. There is a professional who knows what he is doing and I have confidence in him. And it's free," Mitch Hadady of Island Lake said as he worked with tax-aide Patrick Montblanc on his tax return.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has more than 5,000 locations in libraries, malls, banks, community centers and senior centers.

For library locations and hours of operation for tax help in your community, go to http://www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action