For the past three years, Ms. L. Kaplan has volunteered for AARP Tax-Aide near her home in Queens, New York.

AARP Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest volunteer-run tax assistance and preparation service. More than 33,000 preparation volunteers help low- and middle-income taxpayers — especially those 60 and older — claim every deduction and credit they are entitled to receive.

Personal Attention

This past tax season, Kaplan, a retired export manager, once more served as an AARP Tax-Aide facilitator — checking clients in, reviewing their paperwork, and preparing them for the process.

"I try to give each person a few minutes of personal attention, answering any questions they might have, talking about their families, their health," Kaplan says. "Many seniors really love the personal touch."

The Difference We Make

One client stands out to Kaplan. “This woman who was in her 80s came in with her papers,” she recalls, “and I was very surprised to learn she was still working.” The woman explained that she was caring for her disabled daughter and needed extra income.

But Kaplan noticed the woman had not declared her daughter a dependent. As a result, she had greatly overpaid her taxes for several years. “Our preparer corrected her past returns and re-sent. The IRS refunded her over $6,000!”

"The difference we were able to make for her convinced me to continue volunteering for the AARP Foundation," Kaplan says. "It made all the long hours of tax season worth it."

Ways to Take Action