Willow Glen Resident

Community

Photograph by Vicki Thompson

Filling a Need: Sue Siebert (left) is an AARP volunteer trained to help seniors, such as Esther and Elroy Christian, with their tax returns. She volunteers at the Willows Senior Center, where the preparation service is free.

AARP volunteers, trained by IRS, help seniors prepare tax returns

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

For Willow Glen resident Don Jones, tax season means something more than getting his paperwork in order. It means putting on his golden button with the No. 15, a nametag and a smile.

Jones has been volunteering for the past 15 years at the Willows Senior Center, preparing tax returns for the elderly at no charge. The program, Tax Counseling for the Elderly, is provided by the Internal Revenue Service and AARP throughout San Jose.

Jones was the coordinator for the Willows Senior Center until recently, but he still volunteers with the tax return preparation, along with recruiting and training volunteers who want to help out.

"I had retired and wanted to do my own taxes," Jones said. He saw an ad in the paper for free training on tax preparation and later found out the training was for the tax assistance program.

"I enjoy helping people," Jones said. "I enjoy doing taxes because it keeps my mind going. It's also a fun job."

The difference between this type of tax preparation and going to a paid preparer, Jones said, is that the volunteers are not legally responsible. "Clients cannot sue us."

The IRS supplies all the volunteers with a laptop, the tax programs and training.

"We just need to make sure that all the information is entered correctly," Jones said.

The use of laptop computers was introduced about six years ago to make the process go smoother, Jones said. Some of the laptops are provided by AARP or the IRS, and some volunteers bring their own.

"It is no longer practical to do a return by hand," Jones said.

Volunteers need only a little knowledge of taxes and the desire to learn and help people, said Jones, who worked as an engineer.

There is another important attribute that these volunteers need, he said.

"People can be frustrating, so volunteers have to have patience and love helping people," Jones said. "But they don't have to be mathematicians."

Volunteer Jon Veteska agrees with Jones.

Veteska is in his third year as a volunteer and says most of the volunteers do it for the same reasons.

"You're contributing to something bigger," Veteska said. "You meet a lot of nice people. I almost feel guilty having that much fun."

Veteska took a class in tax preparation 15 years ago at H&R Block and was comfortable volunteering after he retired.

"Taxes usually scare people," Veteska said. "Some of the seniors are afraid of getting it wrong and getting in trouble with the IRS."

But Veteska points out that the volunteers are all trained and certified by the IRS and can answer the majority of questions.

Some of the seniors become so comfortable with their tax volunteer that they come in every year asking for that specific person, Veteska said.

The senior center takes people by appointment only, and all slots for this year have been booked, Veteska said. But the need is great and Veteska knows it.

"It's something I can do," Veteska said. "If I do it now, maybe later someone will do it for me as well."