Need Help With Your Taxes? AARP Foundation Has Your Back

Debra L. Grant, a 72-year-old retired budget manager, helps relieve the anxiety of filing taxes for many fellow residents of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, as a volunteer with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, the largest free tax assistance and preparation service in the United States.

“The taxpayers we see come to us not only because we’re free; they trust us,” says Grant, the Mississippi state coordinator of the program. “Our goal is to do an accurate tax return that works to the best advantage of that taxpayer.”

Grant has volunteered for the service for 12 years. She signed up after retiring to find a pastime that kept her mind sharp. “What’s kept me coming back are the taxpayers we see,” she says. “I’ve got a whole new family of friends that I’ve made.”

Since it was created in 1968, AARP Foundation’s tax-prep program has helped 82 million people recover billions of dollars in refunds and tax credits. In 2025 alone, Tax-Aide helped over 1.7 million taxpayers save more than $1.3 billion in refunds and credits. Most were adults over 50 with low incomes.

The program depends on volunteers like Grant, according to Mioshi Moses, vice president of volunteer programs for AARP Foundation. “We could not fulfill our mission without our volunteers,” says Moses. “This is something the average person doesn’t like to do, but we have people who come back year after year to provide this service.”

The goal of the Tax-Aide program is to foster financial independence, especially among lower-income older adults. It runs through mid-April. More than 28,000 AARP Foundation volunteers serve people in over 3,600 communities — at local libraries, community centers, malls and churches. Those looking for help can visit any of the venues and meet with a volunteer, who will help file taxes electronically. The program also offers online tools, including free access to a website to help you prepare your own taxes. You can also request help from a counselor to coach you through the process.

Here’s what else to know:

Tax-Aide is open to everyone, with a focus on older adults with a low to moderate income. You don’t have to be an AARP member. You’ll need to bring certain documents, including your ID and Social Security card, to your appointment. Visit the program’s website for more information.

The volunteers are trained annually and IRS-certified to ensure they know and understand the latest changes and additions to the tax code. And your tax return is double-checked by a separate volunteer for accuracy.

You can make an appointment online, and some locations also take walk-ins. Visit the Tax-Aide Site Locator to find the one closest to you.

“Volunteers are serving others and uplifting their communities, and the individuals they’re helping receive the benefits,” Moses says. “We want to reach everyone in need.”