Through July 15, AARP Foundation is providing free access to online tax software and personal telephone taxpayer assistance through its Tax-Aide program.

Taxpayers can download tax preparation software free and receive personalized assistance from a trained Tax-Aide volunteer in completing and filing their tax return through the foundation’s website at: signup.aarpfoundation.org/preparing-your-taxes-online.

Though tax preparation sites remain closed because of the COVID-19 outbreak, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide has begun offering telephone support to taxpayers whose returns qualify. The service requires that taxpayers use online tax preparation software and complete their own returns, while getting telephone support from Tax-Aide’s IRS-certified volunteers to complete and file their returns.

The virtual service is being offered as an alternative to AARP Foundation Tax-Aide’s traditional in-person services, which were suspended at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and which remain on hold until further notice.

Though Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation and filing services to all taxpayers, many of its clients are over 60 — a group considered by health experts to be at higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19.

As the coronavirus pandemic evolves, The AARP Foundation say its representatives and its community partners will continue to assess whether the Tax-Aide program can open any of its in-person sites for the remainder of the tax season, which has been extended to July 15.

“The health and safety of program volunteers and taxpayers remains AARP Foundation’s top priority, and any decisions about re-opening will be made with that in mind,” foundation representatives said in a press release last week.

Deadline retained; auto extensions available

The Department of the Treasury and IRS announced last week that the federal tax filing and payment deadline of July 15 will not be postponed.

Individual taxpayers unable to meet the July 15 due date can request an automatic extension of time to file until Oct. 15, IRS officials said.

Taxpayers filing Form 1040 series returns must file Form 4868 by July 15 to get the automatic Oct. 15 extension.

“The IRS understands that those affected by the coronavirus may not be able to pay their balances in full by July 15, but we have many payment options to help taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said.

“These easy-to-use payment options are available on IRS.gov, and most can be done automatically without reaching out to an IRS representative.”

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the original filing deadline and tax payment due date for 2019 was postponed from April 15 to July 15.