COUNTYWIDE : IRS Seeks Volunteers to Help With Returns

The Internal Revenue Service is seeking volunteers to help residents who are low-income, elderly, disabled or do not speak English to prepare their tax returns.

Many taxpayers do not know about money-saving deductions or credits, said Ann Logan, an IRS spokeswoman.

The volunteers are trained to help people save money, Logan said.

One money-saver is the “earned-income credit,” which gives a single person with a child up to $2,000 off his or her income tax payment, according to Logan.

The credit is available only to low-income people, she said.

“People often don’t know about it, or they don’t want to fill the form out,” Logan said.

The volunteers will complete tax forms for people who are unable, she said.

More than 1,000 volunteers helped more than 62,000 Southland residents last year, Logan said.

The volunteers do not need any special knowledge about tax law or tax preparation.

IRS and tax professionals will begin training people in January to prepare both state and federal tax forms.

The training takes a week, Logan said.

Volunteers will be asked to work from Feb. 1 through April 15, at locations that include schools, libraries, churches and community centers.

To volunteer, call IRS manager Hans Blank at (714) 643-4060.