The American Association of Retired Persons’ (AARP) Tax-Aide program is coming to Cary to help senior citizens and individuals with low to moderate income levels with their tax preparations for the upcoming season.
AARP Tax-Aide will be at the Bond Park Community Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. through April 15, according to the Cary Citizen. Individuals should bring the previous year’s tax return, all documents they’ll need to file this year, an ID and social security card.
However, the 60-Plus Association wants individuals who might consider these free programs to be aware of red flags raised by former Tax-Aide volunteers. The group urges seniors to ensure that their data is safe from being sold or given to another organization or compromised in another way.
“There are some very serious red flags regarding the AARP’s tax program, and America’s seniors should be extremely cautious when considering whether or not to participate,” American Association of Senior Citizens Founder and Chairman James Martin told West Wake News. “Volunteers within the program itself have raised significant data and privacy concerns and seniors should be aware of these issues as they make decisions regarding their tax filings.”
According to the 60-Plus Association, AARP can easily gain access to sensitive information from each of the Tax-Aide program’s participants, which they could then sell to other organizations and advertisers. All this could occur without the tax-prep client’s knowledge or consent, which presents security issues about which people should be concerned.
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