Volunteers needed to assist Hispanic taxpayers with IRS forms

By: Courtney Gross
   A TaxAide program sponsored by the AARP, the Princeton Latin American Task Force and the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund is looking for bilingual volunteers to assist Princeton-area residents with their taxes next year.
   Maria Juega of LALDEF said the program, serving roughly 100 households in the Princeton community, provides free tax assistance for low- and moderate-income residents. The program, running for the fifth year, is an asset to those families in the area, she added, and usually helps residents obtain $75,000 in refunds collectively each year.
   Volunteers must be detail-oriented, have basic math skills, be fluent in English and Spanish and be available for the training sessions as well as two Saturdays a month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during tax season — from Feb. 4 through April 14.
   The training sessions will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 20 and 27. Ms. Juega said volunteers will learn a software program that simplifies the tax-filing process.
   In addition to the tax-filing volunteers, LALDEF is searching for bilingual persons who could provide transportation to government offices, doctors’ offices, traffic court and other social-service sites as well as to serve as interpreters for Princeton-area residents.
   Those interested in volunteering should call LALDEF at (877) 452-5333.