Larry Harris of Yuba City, who has been busy dealing with his wife's health issues, finally got his taxes done this week for the April 15 filing deadline.
"It's a little stressful taking care of her and I just didn't realize tax time was here already," Harris said.
He was among several taxpayers on Thursday at the Yuba City Moose Lodge using the free AARP Tax-Aide program. His wife has Alzheimer's and is taken care of at an adult day care. Since Harris is her conservator, taxes are more complicated for them. He said volunteers are familiar with older people's incomes and issues.
Even though appointment times are booked, the all-volunteer group is allowing drop-ins and had nine people without appointments stop by Thursday.
"It gets busy right now. People start coming in in a panic," Tax-Aide volunteer Ken Souza said.
He and his wife, Bobbie Powell, are longtime Tax-Aide volunteers. Powell is the district coordinator, and Souza is the technical coordinator,oakley sunglasses. The retired computer repairman said that the group processed 1,548 tax returns for federal and state e-files, and so far this year, 930 have been processed. He expects about 1,400 will be done by the deadline.
Christina Smith, 23, of Yuba City, came to the Moose Lodge for assistance with her friends and roommates Op l Bass and Mary Hill. The 2013 tax season was Bass' fourth time using the service, and the 10th time for Hill. It was a tax baptism this week for Smith, who was filling for the first time as an individual.
"I thought it would be more difficult," Smith said,Gucci Bags.
Bass said she usually files her taxes in February, but couldn't get an appointment. Hill likes that volunteers double-check forms with each other for accuracy, and said they are always respectful and thorough.
"I really believe in them. If they would have made a mistake, I would have known by now," Hill said.
Meanwhile, changes are coming for next tax season, as Powell and Souza are retiring. However, the program "will not fold up," Souza said, and a manager has assured him that either somebody will step forward, or they will bring somebody in to take over the job.
Volunteer tax counselor Nancy Moore said most people don't know a lot about doing taxes, but can educate themselves best by visiting the IRS website. She's in her seventh year as a volunteer.
"You couldn't believe the gratitude they give us," Moore said.
CONTACT Laura van der Meer at or 749-4771. Find her on Facebook at /ADlvandermeer or on Twitter at @ADlvandermeer,oakley sunglasses.
Many happy returns?
Two weekends remain until Tax Day, which arrives on April 15, and there still are a lot of returns expected.
Tax filings processed by the IRS in late March were down about 4 million from the same time the year before.
"The filing season is progressing and we expect an influx of returns in these last days, and the IRS always cautions when people are ready to file, as the deadline approaches, they are careful and make sure they have their records together," said Richard G. Panick, an IRS spokesman.
He said 80 percent of all tax returns arrive electronically, with about 60 percent of people using a preparer. In addition, the number of individuals using tax preparation software has gone up for a number of reasons, including growing popularity of the IRS' Free File program.
Tax struggles for preparers
Michael Law, partner at Crippen, Law Associates in Marysville and Colusa, said this year's tax season got off to a late start after President Barack Obama signed the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 into law,Beats by Monster. It raises taxes on people who make more than $400,000 per year, but also extends credits including the American opportunity tax credit, the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit,Prada handbags.
"The IRS was not prepared for all the new forms with all the changes," Law said. "The IRS couldn't process the returns until they got their systems up in place."
For example, the IRS didn't start processing forms for education credits and depreciation until mid-February,Hogan Scarpe, even though the 2013 tax season opened on Jan. 30.
Along with some of those delays, Law said some clients are also seeing losses from foreclosures, along with bankruptcies. On the flip side, both the federal and California Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Acts were extended for 2013, so that the loss isn't counted as taxable income.
Tax preparer volunteer Ken Souza mentioned another tax filing problem the California Franchise Tax Board's site wasn't accepting returns with deceased taxpayers.
"California didn't have their software correct,gucci outlet, and it would reject it every time we put in for deceased taxpayer," he said. "The state FTB had an update last week that solved that problem."
Law said taxpayers should take a step back before submitting their returns, just to make sure it makes sense.
"Don't wait until April 14th ... ask for help, like someone knowledgeable in accounting. And if you get over your head, don't be afraid to go to a professional," Law said.
Tips
* Make sure filing is done on time
* Pay as much as you can, rather than filing late
* Extensions can be done electronically
* Find forms and information at www.irs.gov.
Know Go
AARP Tax-Aide program
WHEN 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.
WHERE: Yuba City Senior Center.
WHEN 9 a.m,Tory Burch outlet.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.
WHERE: Yuba City Moose Lodge.
Only individuals may take part in the free program. Hours at the senior center are reserved for people 60 and over. Appointments are filled, but people can drop by to check availability. Related articles:

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