Don't Stress Over Taxes: The Seattle Public Library Offers Free Help
The annual tax season can be daunting, but The Seattle Public Library (SPL) is stepping up to make the process easier. Starting this week, the Library is offering free, in-person tax preparation services across 11 of its locations, thanks to crucial collaborations with the United Way of King County (UWKC) and AARP.
This valuable service provides trained volunteers who can answer questions and help individuals prepare their personal tax returns. The service is strictly for individuals and cannot be used for business tax returns.
Where to Find Assistance
The library has organized help at two main levels of service:
United Way of King County (UWKC) Tax Help:
Available at the Central Library and the South Park Branch.
This service is for those who earned less than $80,000 in 2025 (or less than $96,000 for non-single filers).
Help is offered on a first-come, first-served, drop-in basis.
Central Library Hours (Jan. 26 - April 19):
Mondays: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
South Park Branch Hours (Jan. 31 - April 19):
Saturdays and Sundays: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
AARP Tax Help:
Offered at nine other branch libraries.
AARP provides both drop-in and appointment-based assistance. Appointments can be scheduled through their Tax Aide site.
Ballard Branch, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. (Feb. 10 – April 14)
Tuesdays: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Broadview Branch, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N.W. (Feb. 2 – April 13)
Mondays: 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Columbia Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave. S. (Feb. 5 – April 9)
Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Appointment preferred
Douglass-Truth Branch, 2300 E. Yesler Way (Feb. 2 – April 13)
Mondays and Saturdays: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Appointment preferred
Greenwood Branch, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N. (Feb. 5 – April 9)
Thursdays: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
NewHolly Branch, 7058 32nd Ave. S. (Feb. 7 – April 11)
Saturdays: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Appointment preferred
Northeast Branch, 6801 35th Ave. N.E. (Feb. 7 – April 11)
Saturdays: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Northeast Branch, 6801 35th Ave. N.E. (Feb. 7 – April 11)
Saturdays: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Southwest Branch, 9010 35th Ave. S.W. (Feb. 6 – April 12)
Fridays: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sundays: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointment preferred
Anyone looking to utilize this free service should be sure to check the full schedule, eligibility requirements, and the list of required documents to bring by visiting spl.org/TaxHelp.
