Getting some tax help at the Monroe senior center

Tax Counseling for the Elderly draws big crowds.

By: Leon Tovey
   MONROE — There may be a whole week left to file state and federal tax returns, but seniors who want a little help filing have just a few more days to take advantage of Tax Counseling for the Elderly at the township senior center.
   Monday and Tuesday will be the last days this year TCE — which is sponsored by the American Association of Retired People and offers tax assistance to people aged 60 and older — is offered at the center.
   While the center has already seen an unusually high number of seniors this year, Rita Whitney, director of the township’s office on aging, said appointments are still available.
   Al Schmidt, a Rossmoor resident and senior-center volunteer who oversees the TCE program at the center, said Tuesday that around 470 people had taken part in the program this year.
   "It’s been tapering off the last few weeks — we probably only had 20 people in here today," Mr. Schmidt said. "The last five years, we’ve been averaging about 400 people per year, so I guess this is a big year."
   Mr. Schmidt, a retired electrical engineer who became a TCE volunteer at the center in 1995, said his team of 12 volunteers — most of whom are, unlike him, retired CPAs — participate in a two-day refresher course in tax preparation each year before tax season starts.
   The course keeps the volunteers abreast of any changes that have been made to the tax codes both on the federal and state level, Mr. Schmidt said.
   "For instance, this year, a lot of people have been surprised to find out that the Homestead Rebate is gone," he said.
   The NJ SAVER Rebate and Homestead Rebate Programs have been combined into the FAIR Rebate Program.
   It’s this little bit of preparation more than anything else that makes the TCE volunteers more qualified to help people with their taxes, Mr. Schmidt said. It’s certainly not their math skills, he joked.
   "I’d be a liar if I said we didn’t (make mistakes)," Mr. Schmidt said. "Mostly simple arithmetic or clerical mistakes like anyone would make, but we catch most of them and as far as I know, we haven’t cost anyone any money or gotten anyone audited."
   Max Plasner of Clearbrook said he’s never had any problems with the service. Mr. Plasner has been having his taxes done at the center for the past six years, and he joked that unless that other great inevitable in life — death — gets in the way, he’ll keep coming back.
   "Am I satisfied? You bet I am," Mr. Plasner said. "I’ll keep coming back for as long as (the government) keeps taking my money."
   Appointments are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can be made by calling the township senior center at (732) 521-6111.