AARP Foundation is providing free income tax preparation and electronic filing through its Tax-Aide program.

in its 45th year, Tax-Aide – offered in conjunction with the IRS – is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service, giving special attention to filers who are 60 and older. Filers don’t need to be an AARP member or retired to use the service.

The IRS tax-certified volunteer preparers can handle most common tax returns for employed or retired individuals, which include earned and retirement income, investment income (Schedule D), and various education, child and earned income credits.

Tax-Aide sites can’t prepare returns with rental income or depreciation, but do prepare Schedule C for individuals with small businesses that have less than $10,000 in annual expenses.  Taxpayers utilizing the free service can receive their tax refunds rather quickly, as all AARP Tax-Aide sites will be using electronic filing.

More information, including locations of Tax-Aide assistance, is available at www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp, and 1-888-227-7669. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS.

Since 1968, Tax-Aide has helped nearly 50 million low to moderate- income taxpayers nationally through its 35,000 volunteers and 6,000 sites across the country. In Washington last year, more than 1,000 Tax-Aide volunteers helped about 78,000 taxpayers get more than $52 million in refunds.