Tax tips, assistance available for area seniors

’Tis the season for taxes. Once again the AARP Taxaide program is here to assist you with free filing and e-filing.

Bonners Ferry Senior Hospitality House will be closed this year for lack of volunteers. Bob Hall, AARP counselor, refers you to the Sandpoint Senior Center, 820 Main St. 208-263-6860. Assistance is available by appointment only, on Monday and Wednesday, starting on Jan. 28.

Changes for the year are few but very important to filers. The standard deduction has been doubled. Good news for lots of people. Bad news for larger families with children. Personal deductions have gone away. Many filers who have filed itemized over the years, won’t need to. There are other changes but these are the most important. You will find that the 1040 return is much shorter and if you are a self-filer that likes to do their own you may find that it would be quicker to have us do it.

One of the most important jobs for all filers who work is to get in touch with your company and fill out a new W-4, both federal and state. If you don’t you may be very surprised next filing season (2019). These changes may hurt if you don’t renew your W-4.

Several pieces of information are needed for the processing of your return. Please bring a copy of your last years tax return. It contains information that may be important for this year. Social Security cards, proof of identity, W-2s, 1099s, interest income, dividends, stock folder and if you aren’t sure if it’s important bring it anyway. We will help you put it together. Have insurance through the marketplace, bring your 1095A.

The IRS encourages everyone that to insure against identity theft, which can happen to anyone, to file a tax return every year whether you need to file or not. This insures that if someone has filed with your SS number you will know about it.

We are always looking for more volunteers to fill our sites. If interested go to http://tinyurl.com/TAPapplication.

Other sites are as follows:

Newport Hospitality House, 216 S. Washington, 208-447-2331. Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins welcome. Starts Feb 1.

Priest River Library, 118 Main. Walk-ins welcome. Hours will posted later.

For more information call Karen 208-597-3236. Please do not text. senior_momentz@yahoo.com