AARP Tax Preparation Service

The AARP Tax Aide Foundation offers Tax Return preparation and counseling at the Carson City Senior Center. Trained and certified, volunteer tax preparers conduct this FREE service and is available to seniors and all Taxpayers with low to moderate income. Priority attention is given to individuals who are 60 years of age and older.

Documents to Bring to Your Tax Preparation Appointment

It is imperative that you bring all of your tax documents to your tax return preparation session. These include:

  • Valid government photo ID for taxpayer (and spouse if filing jointly)
  • Social security cards for all persons included on the return (taxpayer, spouse, and dependents)
  • All tax related documents showing income received, detail of itemized deductions, information to support qualification for credits
  • Your previous year's tax return 
  • Bank account information (routing number and account number) if you want direct deposit/debit of your refund/payment
  • If a Taxpayer or any member of a Taxpayer’s household purchased health insurance through the Nevada Health Link or the Federal Health Care site, Taxpayers must bring all applicable forms 1095-A to their appointments.
  • Please bring a calendar in case an additional appointment is necessary.

They cannot prepare your return without all documents. If you have missing documents, your return will not be prepared until you return with the missing documents.

Appointments

Appointments are required and may be made starting Tuesday, January 21, 2025 by calling the receptionist at 775-883-0703.  Available appointments will be from February 3, 2025 to April 9, 2025 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.  If you find that you cannot keep your scheduled appointment, please cancel or reschedule it as far in advance as possible, in order to make it available to other taxpayers. Don't be a no-show.

Return Preparation

At our site, your tax return preparation should be completed in a single session. When you come to a site, a screener will conduct an interview with you, then pass your information to a tax preparer. (You will be asked to wait in an area separate from where the return is being prepared.) After the return is prepared, a counselor will conduct a quality review, during which the return will be reviewed with you. You will be able to have your questions answered and then you will need to sign the necessary documents (Form 8879) authorizing AARP to file your return. At that point, you will receive a printed copy of the return. The return will be filed electronically at the end of the day.

Tax Return Preparation Scope

Tax-Aide volunteers are certified and trained to assist in filing the Form 1040 tax return and certain schedules. Taxpayers with complex tax returns or those outside the scope of our training will be advised to seek paid tax assistance. Please see the list below for IRS form numbers and topics that volunteers are qualified to prepare under the guidelines of the program. Under the Volunteer Protection Act, AARP Tax-Aide volunteers must stay in the scope of the program and do only those returns for which they have received training.

Returns That They Can Prepare

Tax-Aide volunteers are qualified to prepare most tax returns involving the following forms and topics:  

  • 1040 with all appropriate schedules
  • ​W-2 (wage income, including Medicaid waivers)
  • 1099-DIV and 1099-INT (dividends and interest income)
  • 1099-NEC (non-employee compensation & self-employment income)
  • 1099-MISC (boxes 1, 2, 3; rent, royalty, miscellaneous income)
  • 1099-G (unemployment compensation)
  • 1099-G (refund of state/local income taxes)
  • 1099-R (pension, annuity, and IRA income)
  • SSA-1099 & RRB-1099 (social security and railroad retirement benefits)
  • 1099-C (cancellation of debt - for credit card debt only)
  • 1095-A, -B, -C (Affordable Care Act (ACA), including premium tax credit subsidies and reporting considerations)
  • Schedule A (itemized deductions)
  • Schedule B (dividends and interest)
  • Schedule C (self-employment income & expenses, with certain limitations)
  • Schedule D (capital gains & losses)
  • Schedule E (rent & royalty income with no expenses or depreciation)
  • Schedule K-1 (interest, dividend, capital gain & loss, royalty income only)
  • Alimony (paid and received)
  • 1040-ES (estimated tax payments)
  • Schedule EIC (earned income credit)
  • 2441 (child & dependent care)
  • 5329 (additional taxes on qualified plans)
  • 5405 (repayment of first time homebuyer's credit - FTHBC)
  • 8283 (part 1, section A - non-cash contributions no more than $500)
  • 8812 (child tax credit, advanced child tax credit, additional child tax credit, credit for other dependents)
  • 8863 (education credits - American opportunity and life-long learning programs) 
  • 8880 (IRA and retirement savings contributions and credit)
  • 1040X (amended returns - for prior tax years only)
  • Prior year returns (2018 and later only)

Returns That They Cannot Prepare 

There are some tax subjects and forms that are outside the scope of the AARP Tax-Aide program. In those instances, you will be directed to seek paid tax assistance. They cannot prepare returns involving the following tax forms and topics:

  • Married Filing Separate status
  • Cryptocurrency investments or transactions
  • 1099-SA (health savings account)
  • Schedule C with a net loss
  • Schedule E (rental property with expenses or depreciation)
  • Schedule F (farm income)
  • 2106 (employee business expense)
  • 3903 (moving expenses)
  • 5695 (residential clean energy credit)
  • 8606 (nondeductible IRAs)
  • 8615 (minor’s investment income or "kiddie tax")
  • 8834 (electric vehicle credit)
  • 8889 (health savings account)
  • Schedule K-1 (involving income, depreciation, or expense)
  • Other rental income or business income
  • ​Marijuana income 

IRS Forms

For appropriate IRS tax forms, go to https://www.irs.gov.