The Northern Frederick County group of volunteers will again offer free preparation of Federal and Maryland tax returns this spring. You can call 301-471-5757 (the same phone number as last year) to make appointments for the first week in March or later. They are starting their appointments a little later than usual because of COVID, but there will still be plenty of time for them to complete your return. The Federal deadline is April 15, but Maryland has extended this year’s deadline for filing Maryland taxes to July 15. The group, working under IRS guidelines and certified by IRS to prepare certain types of returns, will follow the same general process for making appointments and preparing tax returns as last year. When you call for an appointment, a volunteer will ask you several questions about your 2021 income, filing status, and other tax factors to determine if IRS allows them to prepare your taxes. If IRS does, the volunteer will arrange to meet you at the Thurmont Library parking lot to pick up your documents. Then, the volunteer will call you again when they are done to drop off the finished returns and your documents.