SELF-SCHEDULING INSTRUCTIONS

Please read all instructions before making an appointment. Some of these instructions have changed.

The Montgomery County RSVP/AARP Tax-Aide program is designed to assist taxpayers who have relatively simple tax returns. We can help with both Federal and State of Maryland returns. Please visit our website (www.taxaidemc.info) for additional information or contact our Scheduling Office (240-777-2577) Monday through Friday between 9:00am and 4:00pm and Saturdays between 9:00am and 12:00pm for assistance.

We can prepare tax returns for Tax Years 2021 through 2024.If you need taxes prepared for earlier years, we will not be able to help you.

We will only prepare amended returns that were originally filed at an AARP Tax-Aide site. Please DO NOT self-schedule an appointment to prepare an amended return, call the Scheduling Office for assistance (240-777-2577). Several questions need to be answered and we want to make sure we can prepare the amendment.

IRS and AARP Tax-Aide impose a few limitations on what taxes we can or cannot prepare.

For instance, we cannot prepare your taxes if you:

• Rented a property for more than 15 days during 2024.
• Owned a small business and are claiming depreciation, have employees, or maintain inventory. If you are self-employed, we can do your taxes.
• Received digital currency (e.g., Bitcoin) as a reward, award, or payment for property or services OR if you sold, exchanged or disposed of a digital asset. If you purchased digital currency on your own or received it as a gift and did not make any other transactions, we can do your taxes

If you have a Schedule K-1, be aware that we may or may not be able to help you. Make an appointment as early in the tax season as possible so we can review your paperwork and let you know if we can provide assistance.

Refer to our website (www.taxaidemc.info) for a full list of what we can or cannot do or call the Scheduling Office for additional information.

Before You Get Started

Our website (www.taxaidemc.info) provides a list of tax preparation locations, addresses, and days/times of operation. There are changes from the locations where we prepared taxes in previous years so it’s worth taking a look before scheduling an appointment.

Be sure to schedule an appointment after the date when you expect to have all your necessary documentation. If you do not have all your documents at least 48 hours before your appointment, please reschedule for a later date.

Scheduling An Appointment

Scroll down this page and you will see a list of tax sites. Click on the site where you want to go then choose an appointment date and time (available dates are highlighted). Follow the tips below as you enter your information:

• Be sure to click the "Continue" button after selecting your time. Answer every question marked with a red asterisk (*) on the form. If a question does not have a red asterisk, it is optional.
• When asked to enter a phone number, use the phone number most likely to be answered if we need to contact you. Do not type a “1” in front of the area code and do not use anything but numbers (no parentheses or dashes).
• Only schedule one appointment per tax year. Multiple appointments for the same tax year may be deleted from the appointment system.
• After answering all the questions, click the “Complete Appointment” button. This will bring up a "Confirmation" page which is the indication that your appointment has been scheduled successfully.

What You Need To Know

• Expect an appointment to take about 1.5 hours and you may have a wait time before we can start your appointment. Please choose a date and time with these factors in mind.
• If you and your spouse are going to be listed on the tax return, you both need to be present at your appointment. If there is an extenuating circumstance as to why your spouse cannot be there (e.g., in the hospital), bring a note from your spouse authorizing you to file the taxes and if possible, have your spouse available to answer a quick phone call to verify the note.
• You may schedule an appointment for another person but that appointment should be made in the taxpayer’s name, not yours. Your phone number and email address can be used.
• You will receive confirmation and reminder messages via email. Please be sure to enter your email address correctly. Check your Spam or similar folder if you do not see email messages from us. Call the Scheduling Office at 240-777-2577 if you are still having a problem. These messages contain a link to Cancel/Reschedule your appointment if you need to make a change.
• Be aware that tax returns must be filed electronically but you will receive a copy of your return before you leave.

What To Bring To Your Appointment

If you do not bring the necessary documents to your appointment, you will have to come back a second time to complete your tax return. Please refer to the What to bring to appointment link on our website (www.taxaidemc.info) for a complete list of what to bring. You can also refer to your tax documents from your 2023 tax return and make sure you have similar documents for 2024 (or can explain why they’re missing). At a minimum, you must bring:

• An official government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver’s license) for you and your spouse (if applicable).
• Social security cards, green cards, or ITINs for anyone listed on the return (e.g., you, your spouse, and dependents). Form 1099-SSA or a copy of the social security card(s) is sufficient.
• Copies of your 2023 Federal and State tax returns and the supporting documents if you filed, otherwise the most recent tax return you have available.
• All tax-related documents for 2024 printed, not stored on a cell phone or tablet.
• A Form 1095-A if you purchased health insurance through the Marketplace Exchange (also known as ACA or Obamacare).
• An IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is not required. However, if you, or anyone listed on the tax return has an IP PIN, the annual letter received from the IRS (if the IPIN was issued due to fraud) or verification of the 2024 IPIN number (if the IPIN was issued for other reasons) must be provided. Access your irs.gov account if you do not have the number (www.irs.gov) search for Retrieve Your Identity Protection PIN).

Canceling Or Rescheduling An Appointment

You must cancel or reschedule an appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Use the Cancel/Reschedule button included in your confirmation or reminder email or call the Scheduling Office (240-777-2577) (Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm, Saturday 9:00-12:00) to change an appointment. Once you’ve canceled/rescheduled your original appointment, you can schedule a new appointment. NOTE: You cannot reschedule an appointment if you want to go to a different Tax-Aide site, you must use the Cancel option.

If you are ill or have an emergency on the day of your appointment, call the Scheduling Office as early in the day as possible to let us know you cannot come to your appointment (240-777-2577).

Don’t be a NO SHOW!! If you miss two appointments without giving proper notification, you will not be able to schedule additional appointments during the tax season.