Quinten Parker, AARP Foundation Tax-Aid Coordinator for Cumberland County, is looking for volunteers to provide free in-person assistance to local residents during the upcoming tax season. Those interested in becoming a Tax-Aide volunteer can sign up online at www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/get-involved/. Parker can also be reached directly at (804) 375-3436 or quintenparker@wildblue.net.

Tax-Aide is a free service sponsored by the AARP Foundation and the Internal Revenue Service at more than 5,000 sites across the country. Parker is one of more than 1,200 Tax-Aide volunteers in Virginia, the fourth largest of the state groups. In terms of federal tax returns accepted, Virginia Tax Aide is the third largest program in the U.S.

Parker has been a TaxAide volunteer for seven years and coordinator for the Cumberland site since its inception three years ago. He started volunteering for Tax-Aide after retiring in January 2009 as an engineer with Dominion Power. His cousin, a director for the IRS in Philadelphia, suggested volunteering as a tax-aide to Parker.

“We prepared more than 100 returns here in Cumberland last year,” Parker said. “To really increase our output, we need some more counselors. It’s not a big time commitment. Right now it’s only one day a week.”

Starting Feb. 1, 2017, Parker and his crew of volunteers will be available to help taxpayers prepare their federal and state income tax returns from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Mondays at the Cumberland Library, 1539 Anderson Hwy. Parker also volunteers at the Deep Run Park site in Henrico on Wednesdays and at the Powhatan site on Fridays.

When he is not helping Tax-Aide, Parker works on his farm, where he and his son raise Black Angus cattle.

“During tax season, we are not that busy at the farm,” he said.

Membership in AARP is not required to take advantage of Tax-Aide help, and there is no minimum age.