By Larry Maxcy

AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer

Are you good with numbers? Or maybe math isn’t your thing, but you’re looking for a way to volunteer and give back to your community? Then the AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide program is looking for you!

AARP Tax-Aide, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service, is seeking volunteers across the state to help Washington taxpayers who are seeking assistance preparing and filing their 2011 tax returns.

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers receive free tax training and are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses. Volunteers should be computer literate, since most AARP Tax-Aide sites provide e-filing for faster tax returns. While it is helpful if you have some experience in tax preparation (even in doing your own taxes); it is not absolutely necessary. We ask our volunteers to provide four to six hours per week from the first week in February until April 15 if at all possible.

We also have openings for volunteers who don’t want to prepare taxes, but who have technical or computer backgrounds, as well as for people to assist with scheduling and intake matters.

Last year, more than 1,100 Tax-Aide volunteers helped over 80,000 taxpayers across the state. They join the more than 35,000 Tax-Aide volunteers across the country, helping millions of taxpayers each year.

For more information on how you can join the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide team, visit our Web site at www.aarp.org/tavolunteer8 , or call our toll-free number, 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). The deadline for applications is December 15, 2011.

Tax-Aide is a program of the AARP Foundation, offered in conjunction with the IRS.