Taking Control of Your Taxes – Topic #39 - A day at AARP Tax-Aide Center - Part 2

A pleasant surprise for a young unemployed couple

I have mentioned that I volunteer as a Tax Counselor at an AARP Tax-Aide Center.  I had a client family come in asking me to do their income tax return.  Both were in their early 20s, newly married, and had a little baby in their arms.  Recently, wife had to quit her part-time job because of the baby.  Husband was laid off from his minimum wage job.  They were barely surviving on his unemployment check.  They were expecting a small tax refund from their payroll taxes paid in last year - maybe just a few bucks.

I went through the tax software, and sure enough, they qualified for Earned Income Tax Credit to the tune of $3K.  So they will be receiving the few bucks in tax refund as expected PLUS the $3K, which they did not anticipate.  When I told them the good new, their smiling faces and a pleasant surprise made their day and mine as well!  They would like to pay off their debt with this refund, and buy some more baby stuff. This is one of the reason why I volunteer at the Tax-Aide Center.