Volunteers are needed to help other people with their tax returns as part of the free tax preparation and electronic filing program sponsored by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), the Internal Revenue Service and United Way.

Persons interested in participating in the income tax program should contact RSVP as soon as possible. A tax season planning meeting will be held at RSVP October 19 at 1:30pm. For more information and to volunteer as a tax assistor, call RSVP, 571-7734.

All tax volunteers who are comfortable working with numbers, will be trained to prepare basic tax returns during the six-day free tax school the first two weeks in January 2009. Then volunteers, working in teams, will give a couple of hours each week during the tax season from February to mid-April providing free tax preparation for taxpayers who cannot afford professional tax help. Volunteers work in public locations across the county near their homes.

The tax program particularly wants to serve those with special needs such as low income and older taxpayers, non-English speaking persons and those with disabilities.