The IRS recently announced that more than 2,600 residents of Androscoggin County and 1,500 residents of Oxford County who are eligible for the Economic Stimulus Payment have not yet filed the required Form 1040A. This includes more than 1,000 people in Lewiston and nearly 600 in Auburn.

Everyone who received more than $3,000 in Social Security (SSA) or veterans benefits in 2007 automatically qualified for the $300 rebate if they filed for an income tax refund this year or if they have filed a Form 1040A.

Oct. 15 is the deadline for filing the Form 1040A for the Economic Stimulus Payment.

On July 15, the IRS began mailing a second information packet to recipients of Social Security and veterans benefits who had not previously filed but were potentially eligible to receive the $300 payment. Anyone who received one of those packets and would like free help filling out Form 1040A can schedule an appointment with IRS-trained and certified AARP volunteers.

That help is available from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 30, at the Multi-Purpose Center on Birch Street in Lewiston, across from the Colisee. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lewiston Senior Citizens office at 784-2926, ext. 207, weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

AARP volunteers will be offering additional help with forms at the Norway Memorial Library on Friday, Aug. 1, from 2 to 4 p.m., and on Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 966-3641.

Also, AARP volunteers will offer help with forms at the Ricker Memorial Library in Poland as needed. Call Marty Corey at 998-3166 to schedule an appointment.

Frances Lodge of Minot is the AARP Tax-Aide District Coordinator for Androscoggin and Oxford counties. She may be contacted at 966-3641 or at 839 West Minot Road, Minot, ME 04258