Heinrich To Highlight Free Tax Preparation Assistance in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, N.M. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) will be in Santa Fe on Wednesday, March 23 at 3:30 p.m. to meet with seniors and volunteers with AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program at Santa Fe Community College.
The program is the nation's largest, free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service. It is available to low- and moderate-income taxpayers with special attention to those aged 60 and older. In 2014, more than 35,000 AARP Foundation trained and IRS certified volunteers helped over 2.6 million people file their taxes. In Santa Fe, AARP Tax-Aide operates two sites where nearly 70 tax preparers and 30 other volunteers assist with tasks such as Spanish translation. The primary site is at the Santa Fe Community College and an additional site is located this year at the Santa Fe Boys & Girls Club. Since opening on February 1, the two sites have filed over 4,200 returns and have netted over $7.35 million in tax-return dollars back into the community.
During this tax season, Senator Heinrich's staff is holding a series of Mobile Office Hours events with Tax Help New Mexico and the AARP Foundation’s Tax Aide program at convenient locations across the state. These tax assistance programs rely on federal funding from Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) to help low-and moderate-income individuals and families comply with their tax obligations and maximize their returns . Senator Heinrich is urging the Senate Committee on Appropriations to include $30 million for VITA matching grants and $8 million TCE as part of the fiscal year 2017 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.
***Press interested in attending should email press@heinrich.senate.gov or call (202) 228-1578***
Santa Fe - Wednesday, March 23
WHAT: AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide
WHEN: 3:30 to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Santa Fe Community College, William C. Witter Fitness Education Center, 6401 Richards Ave, Santa Fe, N.M. 87508
