As we inch closer to the April 15 tax deadline, AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide is among the programs aimed at helping the military community and others file their state and federal tax returns. Tax-Aide is free and available (appointment only) to all Veterans, military personnel and their families regardless of age or whether they are AARP members.

“In this new environment of COVID, Tax-Aide has instituted a range of tax preparation assistance models that can help Veterans, those currently in the military and others,” said Lynnette Lee-Villanueva, vice president and national director of AARP Foundation Tax-Aide. “From safely delivered in-person service, virtual assistance and hybrid options – we are here to help.”

The nationwide tax help program is geared toward people 50 and older or those who have low to moderate incomes, but Tax-Aide is open to anyone free of charge. AARP membership isn’t required to take advantage of Tax-Aide’s knowledgeable volunteers, nor will there be any sales pitch for other services.

If you’d like to look for an appointment to receive tax filing assistance from AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide, click here to get started.

Due to the pandemic, Tax-Aide availability is limited this year. Other programs offering free tax help include Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), IRS Free File and MilTax.

In addition, here is some helpful information specifically for military Veterans from CPA and tax expert Lisa Greene-Lewis of TurboTax. See the rest of her tax advice for military Veterans on aarp.org here.

VA payments exempt from federal taxes:
  • VA education benefit payments.
  • VA disability payments.
  • Interest from VA life insurance policies.
  • Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program.
  • Money paid to a survivor of a member of the armed forces who died after Sept. 10, 2001.
  • Payments made under the compensated work therapy program.
  • Any bonus pay from a state, county, city or town because of service in a combat zone.
Fast facts on state taxes:
  • States typically offer tax benefits only to Veterans who were honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active duty.
  • State benefits usually include some form of exemptions on property taxes, according to value.
  • Benefits are often transferred over to a spouse or surviving spouse of honorably discharged Veterans.
  • Many states include additional benefits for Veterans who are disabled.
  • Every state’s revenue website outlines state benefits for Veterans and how to apply for them.

Bookmark the Veterans, Military and Their Families page on aarp.org to stay up to date with the latest news and information affecting older Veterans at aarp.org/veterans. AARP resources for Veterans are free and available to nonmembers.


Aaron Kassraie is an associate writer and editor for AARP.

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72 Comments

  1. Andi Shaw April 2, 2021 at 14:59

    I have registered on the AARP site 3 times now and have not received any calls. Been waiting over a month.

  2. John H. Jones March 26, 2021 at 17:05

    Tax Help needed. Simple do not make enough to tax, yet need to file. North Carolina

  3. Frye, Lee A March 23, 2021 at 15:09

    Do I need to be a member or AARP to get help with my taxes?

  4. William B Edwards III March 16, 2021 at 10:13

    who or where do i go to become an AARP tax server? I have 30 years as a tax service and want to help.

  5. Ben Wallace March 11, 2021 at 07:51

    Need help with my taxes here in New Mexico.

    • Fidel Garcia, Jr March 13, 2021 at 22:05

      I am an AIR FORCE retiree with a disability and would like help with my Tax Return..
      I have collected all necessary paper work and ready for filing.

      Thanks,
      Fidel Garcia, Jr

  6. Jim Moore March 8, 2021 at 11:36

    Yeah it’s free, paid for by the taxpayers.

    • Kris March 10, 2021 at 16:43

      for VETERANS who signed up to die for those tax payers. Less than 1% of the population who isn’t afraid to get shot at for you JIM. GOD FORBID we get help with our tax prep. hater. Move to Canada.

    • Jerry Smith March 24, 2021 at 19:23

      It’s obvious that you are either an ingrate or a liberal that expects the government to take care of your tired ass.

    • Michael Clark March 25, 2021 at 04:45

      No it is paid for by the members of AARP but mostly by the preparers themselves.

  7. David Humphrey March 8, 2021 at 10:15

    Need Tax Filing help…

  8. Howard E Modrell March 6, 2021 at 13:58

    I need help with my taxes in Georgia..

  9. Norman F.Baldasaro Jr. March 6, 2021 at 11:16

    Why doesn’t my Town here in NH.,allow for me to obtain a Tax Exemption on my Home where myself and wife reside,claiming that since I was only Discharged from Active Duty under Honorable Condition’s and am rated P&T,(Perminantly and Totally Disabled through The VA),since 2013 when I was finally able to purchase my 1st home that I do not qualify for an Exemption,is this a local or Federal matter?Why do I feel I’m being discriminated against,at age 67 this year?
    I enlisted in The US Marine Corps in 1973 after High School and having signed up for the Draft in 1972,I served proudly under 3 US President’s under a 6 year enlistment plan,served 2.5yrs.active,trained for V-Nam,Nuclear and Chemically Contaminated,shot at,blown up,gased,physically abused at Parris Island,S.C.,beat 2,500 recruit’s with Ptl.399 on Marine Obstacle Course and stood tall in front of 2ND MAR.General,discontinued to Siagon,was with India Co,3/6 Marines at 2ND MAR DIV Camp LeJune,N.C.,for 18 month’s drinking and cleaning in contaminated base water supply which I feel has caused me many medical condition’s and now to be rejected for a Tax Exemption make’s me very upset,what can done to change my coded discharge that my Town and State are using against me,I remain a Faithful Marine ~~~ + ~~~

  10. john B bible March 6, 2021 at 01:00

    I have not field for 7yr. and owe for all 7 now I do not know what to do?

  11. S Williams March 5, 2021 at 10:09

    Not a single site in MA, CT, NH, or ME. For a disabled vet in western MA the closest sites are in NY and VT all 60+ miles away and very unlikely to be up to date on quirky MA tax laws.

  12. victor m. aldahondo March 5, 2021 at 08:34

    this article is of no help, we need facts about where to go or who to call to get tax help we are not mind readers , please be specific WHAT the heck are KEY WORDS<<<<<, if you are going to help do so with real info…

  13. Rafael L. Pizarro March 5, 2021 at 03:24

    it’s an AARP location in Germany?

  14. Anthony charles Suafai March 5, 2021 at 01:40

    I’m a veteran and a member of AARP and I call Tax help Magnolia Senior Center 601 Grand Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080 on the first day it started and I made my appointment for 2020 and it got canceled because of the pandemic so when I try and make an appointment for 2021 they said I couldn’t file my taxes cause I didn’t use them last year!

  15. Trebrena M Porter March 4, 2021 at 20:00

    Hello,

    This link provides a site locator to find locations in your state and you can also start the process to make an appointment.
    https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

  16. John Keytack March 4, 2021 at 19:58

    This article is useless. It doesn’t us HOW we’re supposed to get the tax help, or who to contact.

  17. Leo Cook March 4, 2021 at 16:53

    I looked into the AARP web site page and could only find Tax Prep for VET’s if you were a member of AARP.
    I do not belong and will not pay them for ” free ” service.

  18. John Owen March 4, 2021 at 16:49

    Need tax prep.

  19. John Owen March 4, 2021 at 16:46

    How do I, and where can I get my taxes done. I’m also a Vet.
    John Owen Athol, ID. .March 4th !:42 pm.

    • Terry Gaines March 23, 2021 at 18:21

      I need tax prep help 100% TP &IU
      TERRY GAINES

  20. Jannett D Bradford, PhD March 4, 2021 at 16:24

    How can I help volunteer my services to help other Veterans file their taxes?

  21. Larry Alan Stone March 4, 2021 at 16:02

    Hello, I have a son who is special needs, he’s now 25, I haven’t claimed him on my taxes since he was 11, at which time I was unable to work. Denied SSD, for those years, in 2018, I was given SSI, with 1 year back pay, but was offered by the SSA 3 years. my attorney at the office of Bill Latour, vanished for 8 months. Anyway I’m on V.A. TDIU, need help.

    Regards,
    Larry Stone

  22. Lebron Upshaw March 4, 2021 at 15:04

    I would like information on getting my taxes done I am retired military an how do I schedule an appointment?

  23. Richard Cowell March 4, 2021 at 14:48

    Wow, there are 4 tax prep site within 100 miles but none closer. It seems odd since Shreveport is the city with the massive Overton Brooks Hospital but not one tax help sit till 100 miles. Kind of a shame. There should be a site within Overton Brooks with numerous preparers,

  24. Louis Sandoval March 4, 2021 at 13:17

    I did go to the AARP site and found very little help. Nothing there that I could not get with a google search.
    Are you just putting this headline topic out there just for the sake of say the VA helps with tax preparations?
    Well, it’s not working.

    • Trebrena M Porter March 4, 2021 at 19:29

      Hello,
      I’m sorry you were not able to locate what you were looking for. This link will take you to the page to get the process started for your appointment.
      https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

  25. John s March 4, 2021 at 11:25

    Thanks for the help and the savings, you must find and click on “ click to get started” towards the beginning of this page.

  26. Alfred West March 4, 2021 at 11:03

    Hi,
    Where do I go to get my taxes done. Thanks: Alfred & Yvonne West.
    Thanks you

    • Trebrena M Porter March 4, 2021 at 19:09

      You can click the link below and you will have the option to have someone prepare your taxes or assist you online. https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

  27. Howard Farber March 4, 2021 at 10:21

    I am a veteran and a member of AARP. I live in Carbon County, PA. How do I set up an appointment for help in preparing my taxes?

    • Trebrena M Porter March 4, 2021 at 19:12

      You can click the link below and you will have the option to have someone prepare your taxes or assist you online. https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

  28. david schiel March 4, 2021 at 10:11

    AARP sites filed up so fast that nothing was available when I called in February. I even plugged in a 100 mile radius. The article makes it sound like veterans can get an appointment but what was the cutoff to make an appointment. I just received the email today March 4. This article got the hopes up for us veterans but then dropped to the bottom when nothing was available. I question was this the same in all locations.
    David Schiel, Iowa

    • Trebrena M Porter March 4, 2021 at 19:15

      Hello,
      I am sorry you weren’t able to schedule an appointment at your location but there is an option to have assistance with your taxes done online with the link below.
      https://taxaide.aarpfoundation.org/

  29. David March 4, 2021 at 10:00

    I live in Arkansas, where would I go for help?

  30. J Hall March 4, 2021 at 09:28

    Wow, I see questions on here but no constructive answers just shive remarks. This is not what we need and I still do not see where anybody can go to get this Tax help!

    • Kelsey March 4, 2021 at 10:25

      There is a link in the text under the third paragraph down. it says “If you’d like to look for an appointment to receive tax filing assistance from AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide, click here to get started.”

  31. Herman Gallegos March 4, 2021 at 09:21

    Who do I call to make an appointment? Iam in Albuquerque, NM!

    • Kelsey March 4, 2021 at 10:25

      There is a link in the text under the third paragraph down. it says “If you’d like to look for an appointment to receive tax filing assistance from AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide, click here to get started.”

  32. Julie Veitia March 4, 2021 at 09:13

    Got this email this morning, March 4th. Tax help WAS yesterday, Mar 3rd?? Apparently I wasn’t the only one.

  33. Quentin Weber March 4, 2021 at 08:38

    Good Morning,

    Where would I go or call to get this tax help?

  34. David Rebello March 4, 2021 at 08:31

    I would like like some assistance with my tax prep being a veteran and a caregiver for a veterans survivor.

  35. William Parks March 4, 2021 at 08:00

    How do I set up a appointment for my taxes and where. Palm Harbor, Fl

  36. grant f leneaux March 4, 2021 at 01:45

    I did not find much help in getting tax preparation help? All AARP sites were already booked up. Did you get this info out in time?

    • DNG March 4, 2021 at 09:01

      Grant,
      Did you take the time to ask before you filed?

  37. Aram henesian March 4, 2021 at 01:26

    Was the first Federal Covid payment of $1200 to the US people unlimited as to an individuals income or were there limits based on yearly income?

  38. Richard Ochoa March 4, 2021 at 00:28

    Where do I go Or who do I call to get an appointment? Thank you, Richard Ochoa
    (C’da, Idaho)

  39. Richard Ochoa March 4, 2021 at 00:24

    Where do I do Or Who do I call to make an appointment to get my taxes done??? Thank you, Richard Ochoa
    C’da, Idaho

  40. Jack Disraeli March 3, 2021 at 22:54

    When can I get tax help; I am a Veteran.

  41. Thomas Monarrez March 3, 2021 at 22:03

    I didn’t declare the 2nd stimulus I received because it came in 2021. I now know I should’ve.. Can someone help me do an amendment?

    • Velma Dampier March 4, 2021 at 11:29

      Tax turbo wants me to feel out the amount. On 1095B or 1095A. There is no amount given. Just that I received 12 months of service. What should I do? It want let me finish my taxes.

  42. Phyllis March 3, 2021 at 21:50

    VA helps us with so many problems

  43. Phyllis March 3, 2021 at 21:49

    Thank you for the tax help

  44. RAYMOND A. VAIL, Sr. March 3, 2021 at 21:26

    How do I set up a drop off appointment at the West Asheville Library?

  45. John Catlow March 3, 2021 at 20:31

    I sure wish we would have known about this before we paid out to have our taxes done this year would have been nice to be able to not have to pay for taxes to be done please let us know in the future what day it is that we can file our taxes through the veterans and we’re at location

    • DNG March 4, 2021 at 08:59

      John Catlow, the VA has helped with tax prep for years, did you take the time to ask or research options? We can’t just sit around waiting to be fed..

      • Janet Bright March 4, 2021 at 09:26

        My husband and I are both Veterans, honorably discharged in 1979. I understand we can have our taxes done thru this AARP without being members. It also states our children can have theirs done also. Is this true? Is their a COVID Relief for people who have had a considerable amount of lost income due to the COVID that puts them in a lower tax bracket from 2019?

  46. Lou Richards March 3, 2021 at 19:47

    What are the limitations on income and complexity?

  47. Larry R Butterworth March 3, 2021 at 19:09

    My wife and I file our Federal Income Tax return JOINTLY. Both of us received the first $600 COVID-19 checks. My wife received her second $600 check but I did not. Both of us met the financial criteria for receipt of the second check. If I have to file for this on our joint return, how do I go about doing it?

  48. Laurence K. Howard March 3, 2021 at 17:35

    Do you offer free or low-cost income tax preparation assistance for California veterans? I live in Monterey County

  49. Luis martinez March 3, 2021 at 17:06

    Well I could use help filling out my taxes.

  50. Richard Homan March 3, 2021 at 16:51

    Tax Filing State Of Michigan.

  51. Richard Homan March 3, 2021 at 16:49

    Need Tax Filing Help!

Comments are closed.

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