Free help is available for persons who cannot afford to hire a tax preparer. Locally Account-Ability Minnesota (AAM) prepares taxes year round for low-income taxpayers at 14 tax sites in the Twin Cities and St Cloud and 27 tax sites in Greater Minnesota. Approximately 24% of these taxpayers are persons with disabilities.

AAM has developed a special tool to help taxpayers that are unable to come into a tax site to get their taxes done – the Individual Tax Organizer. For taxpayers with simple returns taxpayers can fill out a one-page form, include copies of their documents and mail the info or have someone drop it off at Accountability Minnesota headquarters. Volunteers prepare the taxes and mail it all back – for free.

Volunteers are also needed for Accountability Minnesota. one hour of your time can put $2,200 in the pockets of a low-income family. In 2008, AAM and its community partners helped more than 17,500 low-income taxpayers receive more than $25.7 million in refunds. Help the organization do even more in 2009. For information on services or how to volunteer, call 651-287-0187. Or visit the Web site www.accountabilitymn.org.