Tax counseling begins in February at Center, library

By Dolores Saurer | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, January 26, 2008

Free Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) begins on Tuesday, Feb. 5. Volunteer tax counselors will be available at the Senior Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at the Fergus Falls Public Library on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are necessary and may be scheduled by calling 736-6842.

Please remember to bring the following information when you come for your appointment: A copy of last year's federal and state returns, forms for wages/pension income, interest/dividend income, Social Security income. For your property tax refund, you will need your 2008 property tax statement and for rent refund, the CRP (rent) statement.

Also bring any other pertinent information you may have received. E-filing is available if you are due a tax refund.

All Senior Center members are eligible for reduced bus fare of $1 for trips to and from the Senior Center, however, tickets must be used and may be purchased in the Senior Center office. Cash will not be accepted on the bus.

Driver Improvement classes are offered through Community Education. Completion of the eight-hour class allows a 10 percent discount on your auto insurance if you are a Minnesota resident and age 55 or older. The certificate which you will receive is good for a three-year period and may be renewed for another three years by taking the Refresher class.

The four-hour refresher class is scheduled for Jan. 31 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Alternative Learning Center (ALC). It will again be available on Feb. 5 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the ALC.

Cost for either of these Refresher classes is $18, payable with registration at the Community Ed office. Call 998-0544, Ext. 1600 for more information.

Remember to save your SunMart receipts for the Senior Center when you go shopping for groceries. We have presently saved $78,000 in receipts but will need another $72,000 to reach our goal of $150,000, at which time we receive $1,000 for our Activity Fund.

The quotations of Helen Keller always seem worthy of repetation, as is this one: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched ... they must be felt with the heart."