Don't push the panic button on taxes! Norwalk resident Richard Friendenthal and 300 other Fairfield County volunteers are calm, steady and at the ready to help you file your tax returns. They're part of the excellent AARP Tax-Aide program, which is free and open to people of all ages. You might discover tax breaks that you didn't know about. You'll also get your refund quickly because your returns are filed electronically.  

The AARP has been running the program since 1968. It starts training tax aides in November and requires them to pass a rigorous IRS test. Many of aides have financial backgrounds. For example, Richard trained as an accountant. They all handle 1040 Forms and the simpler schedules, such as Schedule A for itemized deductions and Schedule B for interest and dividends. For complex returns, you'll need an accountant or other paid tax preparer.

In Norwalk, the tax aides set up shop at the Main Library, the South Norwalk Library Branch and the Norwalk Senior Center. The library doesn't take appointments. It's first come, first served, Thursdays 3 p.m to 8 p.m. (3:30 p.m. at the SoNo branch) and Saturdays, 9:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  At the Senior Center, make a specific appointment. AARP Tax Aides also visit the Fairfield and Westport Senior Centers.

You'll need to bring key documents, including proof of identity; all 1099, W-2 and other forms showing your 2009 income; proof of itemized deductions; Social Security card or benefit statement SSA-1099, for yourself and any dependents; and a copy of last year's federal and state tax returns. You'll find the full list at the library's website, http://www.norwalklib.org/taxhelp.htm. For electronic filing, bring a personal check, which shows your bank, account number and routing number. That lets lets the IRS deposit your refund into your bank accountn directly. Last year, 28,000 Connecticut residents--most of them seniors and people with lower to middle incomes--made use of this valuable program.

You might leave with more than just a tax refund. “We have a list of what services and discounts the client might be entitled to,” Richard says. For example, seniors might be eligible for a real estate tax reduction or health insurance at a lower rate. “First, we do their taxes and then, tell them about programs that can help them," he says. "It's like a double benefit.” To find locations and times for AARP's Tax-Aide Program, visit www.aarp.org/taxaide or call 1-888-227-7669.