Saturdays At Booth Library––

Tax Experts Offer Help And Need Help

By Dottie Evans

Darlene McKirdy and John Coonan will be offering their expert advice free of charge to Newtown residents who are filling out their Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax forms.

As they have done for the past two years, Ms McKirdy and Mr Coonan will host the ten-week tax workshop at the Booth Library at 25 Main Street. The sessions will run on consecutive Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

While the two accountants look forward to whatever challenges arise, they would be much happier if at least two more tax experts came forward to lend a hand.

“We need more volunteers. We’re desperately short of help,” said Ms McKirdy during an interview held Tuesday at the Bee.

In past years, there have been three or four skilled volunteers ready to help Newtown residents resolve their tax issues. These problems might range from questions about mortgages and deductions to clarification of the more convoluted elements of the IRS tax system.

The tax help sessions are sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which requires volunteers to pass a rigorous 60-question test in order to participate. According to Ms McKirdy, any qualified volunteers who feel like “jumping in” at the last moment will be accepted without question, especially if they are certified public accountants (CPAs) or attorneys.

“Or, if they would like to sit down with me and take the 60-question test [and pass it], that would be  fine,” Ms McKirdy said.

Any Newtown resident is welcome to bring their IRS forms and documentation to the VITA sessions, even if the forms are only partially filled out. If the forms are completed, they might hope for a last-minute check by the experts before sending them off.

 “Walk-ins are welcome. But please don’t all come the first day or we will have to draw numbers,” joked Mr Coonan.

Ms McKirdy is the accounting supervisor for the Newtown Board of Education. The 20-year Newtown resident is married to Tom McKirdy, and the couple has two grown children, Tom, Jr, and Cynthia. Ms McKirdy has a bachelor of science degree in accounting, and she says she has been helping family and friends with their taxes for years.

Mr Coonan is a retired controller for Alstom USA of Hawthorne, N.Y. He has lived in town with his wife Camille for nine years after moving up from Stamford.