The AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program does tax return preparation, including electronic filing, at no cost to taxpayers. Though the focus is low-to-moderate income households headed by someone 50 years and older, there is neither an age requirement nor an income cap. If you're under 50, you're still very welcome to use Tax-Aide services. And AARP membership is not required.

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The Sonoma County Tax-Aide program for tax season 2023 will run through April 12th to 18th at most sites, and through May 11th at our main site at the Franklin Park Clubhouse. Tax-Aide service in Sonoma County is offered at nine locations: Franklin Park Clubhouse, Healdsburg Community Center, Oakmont Village, Petaluma Community Center, Rincon Valley Regional Library, Rohnert Park Senior Center, Sebastopol Center for the Arts/Vet's Bldg, Sonoma Valley Regional Library, and the Windsor Bluebird Center. For the full schedule, and phone numbers, click here.

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For the 2023 tax season, we will not accept walk-ins at any site. You must have an appointment in order to use our service. You can get an appointment by calling one  the number for one of our sites, and leaving a message. Phone numbers are listed in the full schedule (link in previous paragraph). 

 

Tax preparation will generally be done in-person (face-to-face), but at some sites, or if COVID-19 worsens, we will ask taxpayers to wait on-site for their returns to be prepared.

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In Sonoma County, another alternative for having your tax return prepared and e-filed, at no cost, is the United Way of the Wine County and its partners. They have eight sites in the county: four sites in Santa Rosa, plus sites in Guerneville, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, and Windsor. To schedule an appointment at one of those eight sites, call the county’s 211 service. (Dial 2-1-1 if in Sonoma County; if outside of Sonoma County, dial 800-325-9604.) 

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If you live in Napa County, there is a Tax-Aide site in the city of Napa, at the Napa Methodist Church, 625 Randolph Street - call 707-492-5430. Other alternatives that offer free tax preparation (with income limits of around $70,000) are:

* On the Move - McPherson Family Resource Center, Napa, 707-363-3798

* On the Move - Phillips Family Resource Center, also in Napa, 707-287-1666
* UpValley Family Centers, in Calistoga and St. Helena - 707-965-5010

* Healthy Start FRC, and the Fairfield Community VITA site, 707-869-9960 (for both), in Fairfield

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Another no-cost way to get your taxes done is for you to do them online, with the assistance of a Tax-Aide counselor. (Assistance is by phone or, if you want, by screen-sharing, where the counselor can watch as you enter information into the tax software.) If you're interested, go to the AARP Foundation page that offers this option, and click on "Request Help". 

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A similar free program, offered by an IRS-sponsored VITA program, is at GetYourRefund.org. 

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If you do not file your tax returns during the tax season, you can file a Form 4868, to get an extension until October 15th. You must mail this form by May 15th, to avoid any late filing penalty. This form is needed if you expect to owe money to the IRS; if you expect a refund, you don't need to file this form, because there is no penalty in that situation if you file beyond May 15th. (In other words, if you file this form, you should send a payment with it.)

Whether or not you file a Form 4868, you can get your taxes done for free at our summer/fall tax clinic at Franklin Park Clubhouse, by appointment. Appointments requests can be made by phone starting Friday, May 12th; the Franklin phone number is 707-536-1518.

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Our district phone number is 707-327-2401. Please call that number if you have a question about our program in general, or a question about a tax return that you filed, or about a letter you received from the IRS or California Franchise Tax Board, or about a specific tax question you have (for example, an inheritance). 

 

You can also email us, at TaxAideFranklin@gmail.com, with questions, or send a text to our 707-327-2401 number.

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Last updated: February 19, 2023.  Comments and corrections? Please leave a message at 707-327-2401, or email us at TaxAideFranklin@gmail.com.

 

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