Tax filing deadline extended; Tax Aide sites closed

In March, the IRS extended the deadline to file taxes to July 15, in an effort to help with the impact from the COVID-19 virus. Also in March, AARP closed all of its Tax Aide free tax assistance sites, nationwide. They will remain closed until further notice. For updates, call 2-1-1.

There are online options for free assistance with self-preparation, such as http://www.myfreetaxes.com and IRS Free File ( http://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free .) Each provider has their own criteria, so MyFreeTaxes.com (no income limit but only certain forms are free) might be a good choice for some but not for other Alaskans who have lower income and need to file forms like Schedule A or Schedule D.

Questions? On March 29, the IRS posted an extensive list of Q&As about the new deadlines at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/filing-and-payment-deadlines-questions-and-answers.