Tax Counseling for the Elderly

• Each year, the IRS relies on volunteers to provide free tax counseling to senior citizens across the country as part of the agency's Tax Counseling for the Elderly program. These volunteers will also prepare basic income tax returns for seniors.
  
  To qualify, you must be 60 or older.
  
  The volunteers participating in the program are often retired financial planners or certified public accountants who donate their time, according to the IRS.
  
  

AARP's Tax-Aide

• If you're a senior struggling to fill out your income tax return, you can also receive free assistance through the Tax-Aide counseling program run by the AARP, an organization that serves older Americans. This program, which is considered part of the IRS Tax Counseling for the Elderly plan, is offered at more than 7,000 sites across the country during tax-filing season, the IRS says.
  
  The Tax-Aide volunteer counselors provide tax counseling to low- and middle-income people struggling to complete their income tax returns. This program is not limited to people who are 60 years or older, but Tax-Aide volunteers give special attention to senior citizens, according to the IRS.
  
  

Your Own Network

• Seniors have one more avenue for getting tax help: their own network of friends, family members and relatives.
  
  Many seniors will know someone in their family or extended clan who is a certified public accountant, financial planner or tax-preparation specialist. This person might be willing to help you finish your own tax forms.
  
  Make sure to search among your friends and family members for a financial expert. You might be surprised to discover that someone such as your second cousin is an accountant.