RSVP tax program assistants available

Elderly or underprivileged residents who need help filing their taxes this year can receive assistance from representatives of Jasper County Retired & Senior Volunteer Program.

Scheduling for the tax program, which is by appointment only, opened on Jan. 11 and will continue until the program ends on April 13.

This longtime RSVP program has been a staple in Newton for more than a decade and provides free income tax assistance for those aged 60 and older, as well as residents on low or fixed incomes.

“Last year we helped more than 600 people file their taxes. Numbers were down a bit due to COVID,” RSVP Program Coordinator Donita Huegel said. “We don’t have a limited number of appointments either. We’ll get in as many people as we can before we close.”

And RSVP’s help isn’t limited to Jasper County residents. As long as someone makes an appointment, they can stop in for help.

“We have people come from all over – West Des Moines, Marshalltown, Ames. People need help and we provide it,” Huegel said.

Almost all of the program’s appointments will take place at DMACC Newton Campus. But for a few nights in February the program will be offered at the Colfax Public Library.

The program is operated almost entirely by experienced volunteers. Some have been volunteering with the program for nearly two decades.

“If someone’s return is too complicated we will recommend that they go somewhere else, but most cases are pretty simple and can be done in about 15 minutes,” Huegel said.

Appointments are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 1 to 24 and Tuesdays and Wednesdays from March 1 to April 13 at the DMACC Newton Campus.

Extended hour appointments will also be available 5 to 7 p.m. on March 3 and 24, and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 12.

Appointments at the Colfax Public Library, which will be drop-off only, are available 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 11.

In addition to photo IDs and social security cards, clients must also bring last year’s tax return or a tax transcript to their appointment. Transcripts can be obtained from the IRS. Current returns will not be prepared without this information.

To make an appointment, residents can call the Iowa State University Extension Office at 641-792-6433 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.