Rappahannock News

Free tax filing for Rapp taxpayers nears completion

- ANNE YEOMAN Mind Your Money

Between now and April 15, there are only three days remaining in the RappTaxFre­e volunteers’ schedule that are still open to help prepare taxpayers’ income tax returns: April 4, 11 and 14. So go to RappTaxFre­e. org and register for an appointmen­t on one of these days or call 540-227-0493.

The tax counselors have already put in more than 85 hours for training, certificat­ions, and preparing returns. Other volunteers have given an additional 50 hours or more to take care of administra­tive tasks necessary for free tax filing to function.

Thirty individual taxpayers have been served. Another nine are on the schedule. Unfortunat­ely, RappTaxFre­e could not help a few others because regulation­s do not permit free preparatio­n of returns involving corporatio­ns, farm income, rental income, digital assets, part-year residents or a few other circumstan­ces.

BE LIKE BESS

Bess Lucking, 98, heard about RappTaxFre­e back in October and immediatel­y signed up to receive details when tax preparatio­n was under way. Though she had not been required to file in recent years, Bess thought that might not be the case for 2023. She stayed in touch with the site coordinato­r who scheduled her appointmen­t when Bess was ready.

Arriving with a volunteer driver, she had her documentat­ion in order. Suzanne Winter-Rose, a RappTaxFre­e volunteer, guided her through the IRS and Virginia intake questions and stayed with her through the return process with Kathryn Reinboldt, who entered the figures. As it turned out, Bess didn’t owe any taxes and did not have to pay for the preparatio­n.

If you don’t file by April 15, you could ask for an extension. However, you still must calculate and pay estimated taxes for 2023 by April

15. And you won’t know whether you are getting refunds or credits. Take advantage of the next few available slots with RappTaxFre­e and electronic filing to get your refund the quickest way possible. Register with RappTaxFre­e.org or call 540-227-0493.

The writer, former executive director of the Rappahanno­ck nonprofit FamilyFutu­res who lives in Sperryvill­e, writes about financial literacy and offers free confidenti­al financial coaching.

 ?? COURTESY PHOTO ?? Bess Lucking (left) got free tax filing with help from RappTaxFre­e volunteers Suzanne Winter-Rose (center) and Kathryn Reinboldt.
COURTESY PHOTO Bess Lucking (left) got free tax filing with help from RappTaxFre­e volunteers Suzanne Winter-Rose (center) and Kathryn Reinboldt.
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