Don and Brenda Treul of Chapel Hill check in with AARP volunteer Pat Cryer for the AARP Senior Tax Assistance program held at the Tyler Senior Center on Monday March 4, 2019. Services are provided on a first come first service basis every Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

The Tyler Senior Center was buzzing Monday afternoon as seniors from all across East Texas showed up to receive free help with their tax returns. 

Sue Vandervoort, 77, of Ben Wheeler, said she has been getting her taxes done at the senior center for seven years because it is convenient and professional.

“They take care of all of it,” Vandervoort said. “It’s easier than me having to get (the refund) in the mail or direct deposit. They really know what they’re doing.”

The service through the AARP Foundation is offered at community centers nationwide to help people age 50 and over who don’t have the money to pay for professional tax preparation.

Jim Novy, the district coordinator for the AARP Foundation, said he has 54 volunteer tax aides in Smith and Gregg counties. Funded by a grant through the Internal Revenue Service, the program is geared toward low- and medium-income taxpayers.

“Seniors, if they went to a private preparer, would have to pay $200 or more to get their taxes done, and that money means a lot,” Novy said. He said many are living on Social Security income with little or no additional retirement savings. 

Novy said the tax returns are slightly different this year, because the federal government enacted tax law changes in 2018. He said the standard deduction is higher, and fewer people are able to itemize their tax-deductible expenses. 

Those who made wages in 2018 had less money withheld from their paychecks in advance and are seeing lower refunds, he said. Nationwide, the IRS is seeing about 27 percent fewer returns qualify for refunds than 2017 and refunding about 39 percent less money than the 2017 tax year, according to the Associated Press. 

Don Treul, 67, of Chapel Hill, said he and his wife, Brenda Treul, 70, started coming to the Tyler Senior Center for tax preparation about five years ago because it’s free and the volunteers can help with complicated tax issues.

Brenda Treul said they have paid for tax preparation before, only to have the preparer make errors on the form and lead to problems with the IRS.

“They do a professional job,” Don Treul said. “We’ve never had any issues.”

From 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, 20 people had signed up for tax preparation services at the Tyler Senior Center. The number of people served each day often varies from 15 to 21, according to Kay Odom, the center’s director.

Odom said the volunteer who shows up in the mornings is often bombarded with people seeking the help, and she’s happy to have the service to help get more people involved at the Tyler Senior Center.

The AARP Foundation is offering the service at the Tyler Senior Center, 1915 Garden Valley Road, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday until the filing deadline, April 15.

Other tax preparation locations in Smith County are the First Christian Church of Tyler, the Whitehouse United Methodist Church and the Lindale Library. Days and times vary for these locations. 

TWITTER and INSTAGRAM: @_erinmansfield

WHO: AARP Foundation

WHAT: Free tax preparation assistance

WHEN: Now until April 15, days and times vary by location

WHERE: Tyler Senior Center, 1915 Garden Valley Road, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday

First Christian Church of Tyler, 4202 S. Broadway Ave., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday

Whitehouse United Methodist Church, 405 W. Main St., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday

Lindale Library, 200 E. Hubbard St., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday