Avoid the Rapid Refund!

Dear anyone-who-doesn’t-like-to-throw-money-away,

Please do not pay money for instant tax returns this year! H&R Block and ProTax claim to be doing you a favor by charging you $375 for an instant tax return, but there are many places in Charlottesville and it’s surrounding areas that provide free tax return assistance beginning February 1. If you can fight the urge to file your tax return the day after you get your year end pay stub, you will save lots of money- and isn’t that the whole point of a tax return?

The AARP Tax Aides have several locations in the area (and they are also looking for additional volunteers for anyone who might be willing to help provide tax return support and counseling to the elderly or those in low income tax brackets- contact me for more information about this- it is an extremely rewarding program!)- all of their locations are listed below.

Charlottesville Area Locations;

• Friendship Court/Urban Vision Community Center; Monticello Avenue
• MACAA; 1025 Park Street
• Senior Center; 1180 Pepsi Center
• Albemarle County Office Building; 1600 5th Street
• PVCC; 501 College Drive

Surrounding Counties;

• Fluvanna County Library; 8880 James Madison Highway
• Madison Extension Office War Memorial Building
• Orange Extension Office; 146 Madison Road
• Nelson Memorial Library; 8521 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston 

Some of these locations are by appointment only and others take walk-in’s, and more information will be released about their schedules soon.