Tax Centers Can Ease Filing Burden Sites In Washington, Idaho Have Volunteers Who Help With Forms
Tax preparers working with the Internal Revenue Service have more resources than ever this year to help citizens with the always daunting paperwork.
And officials with the agency report the response has already surpassed that of past years.
Agent Betty Kronbauer said early users of the Tax-Aide centers were attracted by the prospect of quick refunds. Many qualify for the earned income tax credit available to low-income households with children.
“They’re pretty anxious to get their return filed,” Kronbauer said.
Electronic filing accelerates the process, she said, and further help is provided by American Association of Retired Persons volunteers participating in the Tax-Aide program.
The two have been combined on the fourth floor of the U.S. Courthouse at 920 W. Riverside in Spokane. (See lists for other locations and open hours of Tax-Aide centers).
The IRS has set aside a room at the courthouse equipped with six computers where AARP volunteers take information from would-be filers.
Once forms are completed, they are transmitted to the IRS regional processing center at Ogden, Utah.
Kronbauer said the refunds should be on the way back in two weeks, as opposed to the six-week standard for returns submitted by mail.
As preparers work with taxpayers, others wait their turn in the next-door cafeteria. A recent visit indicated the site is getting heavy use.
That was fine with Bill Young, a retired U.S. Postal Service window clerk who has helped others with their taxes for six years.
“We hate like the devil to sit around doing nothing,” he said during a short break.
Young said he had done his own taxes for years, but in 1995 took a 10-week course from H&R Block when he set out to help others.
Since then, he has kept current with the annual IRS retraining all volunteers must take.
Young said about 16 people staff the courthouse location, with others scattered at other sites.
Forms filled out at the outlying locations in Spokane are brought to the courthouse, where the information is transferred into the computers for transmission to Ogden.
Kronbauer said electronic filing is not only faster, it substantially reduces the error rate.
But she noted that there are some forms, Schedules C and E for example, Tax-Aide volunteers are not permitted to help with.
Kronbauer said filers with questions about more complex returns can still get answers in the IRS office off the courthouse lobby.
Young said volunteers need 20 to 30 minutes to complete a typical return.
Taxpayers are usually so relieved, he said, some want to pay for the service. A few have returned with candy or flowers, he said.
Young said mid-March is a good time to come in for assistance. The rush of early filers seeking refunds has passed, he said, and those holding off until the last minute have not yet stormed the gates.
These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:
1. WASHINGTON
Monday Chewelah Senior Citizen Center
302 E Main
Chewelah
8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Franklin Park Mall
5628 N Division
Spokane
Noon to 4 p.m.
North Spokane Library
44 E Hawthorne Road
Spokane
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Southside Senior Activity Center
2727 S Mt. Vernon
Spokane
Noon to 4, by appointment
US Courthouse Room 489
920 W Riverside Ave.
Spokane
Electronic filing available free
Tuesday
Argonne Public Library
4322 N Argonne
Spokane
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Cheney Library
610 First St.
Cheney
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
South Hill Library
3324 S. Perry
Spokane
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Spokane Community College
Student Learning Resource Center, Bldg. 16
1810 N. Greene
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 1 through March 14
University City Mall
Sprague & University
Spokane
Noon to 4
US Courthouse, Room 489
920 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Electronic filing available free
Wednesday
Airway Heights Community Center
1208 S. Lundstrom
Airway Heights
5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Chewelah Senior Citizen Center
302 E. Main
Chewelah
Noon to 2:30
Corbin Senior Center
827 W Cleveland
Spokane
Noon to 4, by appointment
East Central Comm. Center
500 S. Stone
Spokane
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sinto Senior Center
1124 W Sinto Ave.
Spokane
Noon to 4, by appointment
327-2861
US Courthouse Room 489
920 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane
Electronic filing available free
Valley Library
12004 E Main
Spokane
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Valley Senior Citizens Center
11423 E Mission Ave.
Spokane
Noon to 4
West Central Community Center
1603 N. Belt
Spokane
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday
Deer Park City Hall
316 East Crawford
Deer Park
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Northeast Community Center
Hillyard Senior Center
4001 N. Cook
Spokane
Noon to 4; 482-0803
Shadle Park Library
2111 W. Wellesley
Spokane
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Spokane Community College
Student Learning Resource Center, Bldg. 16
1810 N. Greene
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 1 through March 14
US Courthouse Room 489
920 W. Riverside Ave.
Spokane
Electronic filing available free
Friday
Spokane Downtown Library
906 W. Main Ave.
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday
Hillyard Library
4005 N. Cook
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Indian Trail Library
4909 W. Barnes
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Otis Orchards Library
22324 E Wellesley
Otis Orchards
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
South Hill Library
3324 W. Perry
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Spokane Housing Opportunities
55 W Mission, Suite 104
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Other Sites
American Indian Community Center
905 E. Third Ave
Spokane
By appointment 535-0886
Republic Kiwanis Hall
Call 509-775-1313
Spokane County Headstart
Hillyard Center
4410 N. Market
Spokane
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Tuesday in February
Spokane Goodwill Industries
130 E. Third Ave.
Spokane
Thur. & Fri. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Feb. 10th and 11th only
WSU, Pullman-Neil Library
Pullman
Contact Debra Sanders for schedule; 509-335-4473
2. IDAHO
Rathdrum
Senior Center
802 Montana
By appointment only.
Call 687-2028.
Spirit Lake
Senior Center
By appointment only.
Call 392-9934.
Clark Fork
Senior Center
1001 Cedar
By appointment only.
Call 264-5745.
Priest River
Council Chambers
209 High Street
By appointment only.
Call 448-1946.
Wallace
Senior Drop-In Center
621 Cedar
Wednesdays 8 to noon.
Moscow
Federal Building
220 E. Fifth, Suite 2
Wednesdays and Fridays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m
University of Idaho
College of Law Building
Saturdays, 9 to noon.
Post Falls
Prime Outlets
4300 W. Riverbend
Weds. and Sats., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Senior Center
1205 E. Third Ave.
By appointment only.
Call 773-9582.
Am. Legion, Post 143
640 N. Highway 41
By appointment only.
Call 773-9054
Coeur d’Alene
Am. Legion, Post 14
754 4th St.
By appointment only.
Call 664-2250
Wutzke Residence
1217 Maple Ave.
Anytime for shut-ins.
Call 664-2040
Lutheran Church of the Master
4800 Ramsey Rd.
By appointment only.
Call 664-4315.
Coeur d’Alene Library
201 Harrison Ave.
Hearing impaired only.
Call 769-2315
Silver Lake Mall
Highway 95
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lake City Senior Center
1916 Lakewood Dr.
By appointment only.
Call 667-4628.
Sandpoint
Bonner Community Food Bank
921 N. Fifth St.
Wednesdays 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Senior Center
820 W. Main St.
By appointment only.
Call 263-6860.