AARP Tax-Aide is a free service offered in conjunction with the IRS. Tax-Aide volunteers are trained to help you prepare and e-file your 2025 federal and NC state income tax returns, including a variety of common forms and schedules. We can also prepare and file returns for 2024 and 2023.

The AARP Tax-Aide site at the Elon University College of Law serves all persons, regardless of age or income. However, there are some types of returns we cannot prepare (these are listed below).

How our site will operate in 2026

When you make your appointment, you can choose whether to use our In-Person or Drop-Off option.

• The In-Person option is for persons who don't mind waiting during return preparation or who would rather not make a second trip to the site. You will meet with one of our trained volunteer tax preparers and remain while your federal and state tax returns are prepared. When the returns are complete, you will sign an authorization form and your returns will be e-filed. An In-Person visit generally takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but can sometimes be longer if your return is more complicated.

• The Drop-off option is convenient if you don't want to stay at our site while your return is prepared. When you arrive at your appointment time, you will meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer to ensure that you have brought all the documents needed to prepare your tax return. This process takes about 30 minutes. You can then leave and we will contact you if we have any questions. When your return is ready – usually at least a week – we will contact you to return to the site (no appointment needed). On this return visit, we will go over your completed tax return with you, you will sign an authorization form, and we will e-file your federal and state tax returns. To use this method, you must have a mobile phone where you can be reached during preparation of your tax return, because this is how your volunteer tax preparer will communicate with you.

Please note: All appointments  after March 31 are In-Person only. There are no Drop-offs after March 31.

Important note about inclement weather – Our site follows the Guilford County Schools decision on weather-related closures. Check radio/tv or gcsnc.com – if Guilford County Schools are closed (including on remote learning) due to weather, our Tax-Aide site will also be closed. If the schools are on a 2-hour delay, our site will also have a 2-hour delay, opening at 11 am. We will contact clients whose appointments were cancelled due to site closure to help them reschedule. 

Note regarding taxpayers who are not U.S. citizens – We are able to prepare tax returns for resident aliens (i.e., persons who have been issued a green card) or for nonresident aliens who lived in the United States at least 183 days during 2025. All other nonresident aliens require a type of tax return that we cannot prepare.