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Tax filers find reasons to wait By Jennifer Nitson Ashland Daily Tidings Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? This seems to be the reasoning of scores of Ashland residents who are flooding the offices of accountants and tax consultants seeking last-minute help with their 2002 income tax returns. "I've been having a hard time thinking about it and wanting to deal with it," said Greg Curry of Ashland as he waited in line at the AARP Tax Aide site at Ashland Pioneer Hall. "I'm worried that I'm going to owe them money I don't have." Others at the Tax Aide site this past week echoed Curry's sentiment. Many styles of procrastination were represented among those waiting for last minute tax assistance. "I've been busy having fun," said Ken Nelson of Ashland. "I thought it would be simple but it turned out to be more complicated." Margaret Laursen, an AARP/IRS certified tax consultant, has been with the Tax Aide program for 20 years. The pattern of procrastination is nothing new to her. "It's like this every year," she said. "You can see, we're very busy." So far this year Tax Aide has helped more than 850 people fill out their tax returns free of charge. Tax Aide is available to people of any age with low to moderate incomes, from $0 to $50,000. "It's amazing how many people don't know about this program, because we've been doing it for 20 years," Laursen said. "Some think it's just for retired people." Laursen said that many lower-income people who are eligible for the earned income tax credit get their taxes done earlier in the season, expecting a refund. "The ones that owe are going to wait as long as possible," she said. Jacquie May, a tax consultant at Ashland Accounting and Tax Service, agreed. "Generally the people that come in at the last minute don't have a tax refund coming," May said. May added financial frustration to the list of reasons people might be reluctant to fill out their tax returns. "The average American is a little resentful about having to pay so many taxes at this time," May said. "It's just human nature." H&R Block, where filers can have taxes prepared as late as 5 p.m. Tuesday, provided they have all of their paper work on hand, is also experiencing a deluge of procrastinators up against the deadline. Stress is not the only problem associated with last minute tax preparation, according to Leslie Lyon, a licensed tax consultant at H&R Block. "Getting all the information that is necessary to give them the best advantage is difficult," Lyons said. "The information has to come from brokers and other companies and they are very busy at this time of year as well, so everything takes longer." The Southern Oregon University Accounting Students Association's taxpayer assistance program has many students clamoring for last-minute help. So much so, junior and senior SOU accounting students simply cannot meet the demand. "It is unfortunate," said Al Case, SOU assistant professor of business. "If they came in earlier, we would have been able to help them." Free help with tax returns is still available. The AARP Tax Aide will continue through Tuesday. Hours are Monday from 9 a.m. to noon at Ashland Pioneer Hall, 59 Winburn Way, and Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Phoenix Library, 110 W. Second St. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -