SENIOR NEWS

Is It Taxable?

By Matilda Charles

A er preparing my own taxes annually for over 40 years, I’m about to have someone else do them for me for the rst time. is is not without concerns, of course, but the people who volunteer to prepare taxes at the senior center are trained. ey’re part of the AARP income tax assistance program, which means they’re IRS-certi ed and therefore will know about any recent changes to tax law ... which will be handy at this point.

As of this writing, the IRS is telling people to hold o sending in their tax returns for 2022. e reason: So many states handed out so many types of money during the pandemic that the IRS isn’t sure yet what is and isn’t taxable. For example, checks designated as “rebates” might or might not be taxable. A Covid disaster emergency relief check is not. However, in some cases, the issue is complicated by whether you do or do not itemize. People in at least 22 states are caught in this dilemma.

If you haven’t done your taxes yet and want help, or if you want to make a note for next year, do an online search for “AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Locator.” Once on the site, scroll down and enter your ZIP code or town in the search eld to nd the locations near you.

Be sure to ask about the forms you’ll need to pick up and ll out before your appointment, and whether you’ll be going inside or waiting in the parking lot.

e other good news is that this AARP service is free. For me it means I don’t need to spend $50 once again to buy the computer so ware and do it myself and hope I haven’t made an error somewhere ... perhaps with guessing wrong about whether that state check I received is or isn’t taxable.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Creative Ways For Small Town Residents To Give Back

Giving back to one’s community is a great way for men and women to make use of their talents and foster strong towns and cities. Volunteering opportunities abound in big cities, but small town residents may not have as many options as they look for ways to give back.

Small town residents looking to give back may need to create their own opportunities if the options available to them do not suit their fancies.

Contact local schools. Teachers, afterschool caregivers and coaches can always use some helping hands. Contact local schools to determine if there is any way to help out. Prospective volunteers might be able to read to young children, serve as assistant coaches for youngsters’ sports teams or even help tend to playing fields. Small town school budgets tend to be stretched thin, so chances are local educators will welcome citizens looking to pitch in with open arms.

Start a program through your place of employment. Another way for small town residents to give back to their communities is to begin a mentoring or internship program through their places of employment. Once their employers give the go-ahead, men and women can begin working with local high schools and/or colleges to develop programs that encourage youngsters to gain professional experience that can benefit them as they apply to college or graduate school or prepare to begin their own careers. Start a volunteering group. Small town residents without much access to volunteering programs can organize groups through their offices or neighborhoods. Organize groups willing to pitch in with charities such as Habitat for Humanity®. Group leaders can arrange transportation to work sites for members of the group while working as liaisons between their community groups and the organizations they choose to work with.

Work with area hospitals. Similar to school districts, many hospitals would struggle to meet their missions of providing compassionate care if not for the contributions of volunteers. Contact area hospitals to learn about volunteering. Some may need volunteers to read to sick children, while others may need help keeping elderly patients company. Small town residents may not have a wealth of volunteering opportunities at their disposal. But with a little creativity, such men and women can still give back to their communities.