In 1985 Jane Mianowski and “Pappy” Wright began helping senior citizens with their federal income tax returns under the IRS/AARPsponsored program called Tax Councilors to the Elderly (TCE). They were joined in 1986 by Harriet Walsh and Thelma Hedstrom, who just retired from this program last year.
By 1993 the program had been expanded to include lowincome families, with over 100 paper returns being processed at Grand Marais and Grand Portage. Computers were added in 2004 and last year 524 taxpayers were helped with their federal and state tax returns, state rent refunds and state property tax refunds at the community centers in Birch Grove, Grand Marais, and Grand Portage.
As always this service is free and will again be offered at the community centers from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning Tuesday the 7th (Grand Marais), Wednesday the 8th (Birch Grove) and Friday the 10th (Grand Portage) of February.
All tax volunteers are trained using IRS-supplied materials and must pass IRS tests to be certified to do individual returns.
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