Residents of all ages with low to moderate incomes have free tax preparation available from AARP’s TAX-AIDE and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) starting Feb. 4 and continuing through April 15.

Alice Harrison, an AARP volunteer, said TAX-AIDE always starts in early February so taxpayers have a chance to receive all necessary tax documents. Volunteers take a refresher tax course in January.

The Internal Revenue Service sponsors both AARP and VITA. Harrison said the IRS provides all the training, all test booklets, reference booklets and the software program used.

“All of our volunteers are trained and certified, and we sign a confidentiality agreement,” she said. “The only difference in the programs is VITA has a specific income limit [around $50,000], and we don’t.”

Both programs have limits on the types of returns they can prepare. Examples of returns outside their scope would be those with farm and rental income, significant numbers of capital gains/losses, income from a business with a loss, employees, depreciation or inventory.

Like last year, taxpayers need an appointment to have their taxes prepared by AARP and VITA volunteers working out of space 50 in the Gateway Community Center, accessed from southwest entrance A.

“United Way has given us a conference center, which is really nice of them, and also provided us a cellphone to make appointments,” Harrison said.

To see AARP volunteers working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, call 407-8355. Call 752-6565 to make an appointment with VITA preparers who work from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays.

VITA also has walk-in service located in the Arts and Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Harrison said these provide many options for people of all ages to get help preparing their tax returns. TAX-AIDE helps people of any age, and there is no requirement to join AARP.

These free preparation services also don’t charge for electronic filing.

“All of our returns are electronically filed if they bring us their direct deposit information,” Harrison said. “That’s very important.”

If a small amount is owed, direct debit information keeps people from having to write a check with all their personal information. It also allows them to have the amount owed deducted on the very last day.

“So if they come to us in February and there’s an amount owed, they can just request it to come out of their account on April 15th,” Harrison said.

Along with the tax form, the tax counselors also train to electronically file the Montana Elderly Homeowner/Renter Credit-Form 2EC. To qualify, people must be 62 or older, have lived in Montana for nine months and have earned a total household income less than $45,000, all in 2012.

For this form, preparers need 2012 income statements, 2012 property tax bill or total rent paid in 2012. Volunteers can prepare the form for up to the past five years for qualified people who did not file returns earlier.

“Another credit that people may not be aware of is called the Property Tax Assistance program,” Harrison said. “That is something that has to be filed prior to April 15. People can get this information at the Montana Department of Revenue.”

The revenue office is located in the multistory building at 100 Financial Drive, north of the old Gateway West Movie Theater. Harrison said this credit has income limits but applies to people of all ages.

“You can get as much as an 80 percent reduction,” she said.

About 25 people volunteer through AARP, and VITA has that many or more.  Harrison said VITA volunteers include students working on accounting degrees at the community  college so they gain valuable experience while providing a needed service to the community.

She encourages people to call ahead and make an appointment for a date when they expect to have all of their tax forms available. Generally, the services have rushes at the beginning and end of tax season.

“People should remember that when they pick up their mail, it’s going to say ‘important tax document,’” she said. “Just drop it in a file.”