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Hurricane Helene charges toward Florida's Gulf Coast, expected to strike late today as a dangerous storm; Millions of Illinois' convenient voting method gains popularity; House task force holds first hearing today to investigate near assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania; New report finds Muslim students in New York face high levels of discrimination in school.

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams faces federal bribery and wire fraud charges, new federal legislation aims to limit open-carry firearms at polling places and Utah Republicans fail to give the legislature control over citizen ballot initiatives.

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The presidential election is imminent and young rural voters say they still feel ignored, it's leaf peeping season in New England but some fear climate change could mute fall colors, and Minnesota's mental health advocates want more options for troubled youth.

Seniors: It's Not Too Late to Get Free Tax Help

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Monday, April 1, 2013   

LEBANON, Mo. - Procrastinators take heart. There is still time to get help with your taxes, for free. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers such as Lynn Boulware are ready and able to help Missourians who do not like crunching numbers.

Boulware has been going to specialized training by the IRS every year and passing an annual test to make sure she knows what she's doing. She has been a volunteer tax preparer at a senior center in Lebanon ever since she retired 12 years ago, she said.

"In my work life, I was an accountant," she explained, "so I liked numbers. I wanted to do something to give back, to help; and it was something a lot of people don't like to do. So, it was just kind of a fit."

The volunteers are not qualified to help those who own a farm or have very complicated taxes, but taxpayers don't have to be retired to receive assistance, or be a member of AARP, or even be living on a very low income.

Boulware said she finds it satisfying to know that she and the other volunteers are making a difference in the lives of others.

"Last year, we in Missouri helped over 60,000 people with their tax returns," she said. "They got refunds in excess of $25 million."

For most people, she said, the worst part of tax season is rounding up all the paperwork. She reminded taxpayers to bring government-issued identification, all W-2 and tax forms to their appointments. She suggested that anyone who is not sure what to bring should call ahead of time.

AARP-Missouri state director Craig Eichelman acknowledged that some people are able to get their taxes done by answering the questions generated by tax preparation software on their home computer.

"However," he said, "you just cannot beat having that conversation across the table from somebody who understands."

Eichelman said those conversations have been going on for a very long time. The Tax-Aid program was started by four volunteers in 1968, he said, and now it includes more than 35,000 volunteers in Missouri and around the nation.

More information is available at http://is.gd/aP4EbM. A locator for AARP Foundation Tax-Aide sites is at www.aarp.org.




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